But Wait
by Puissance
Summary: In their last year of school everyone is working towards one common goal, ridding the wizarding world of its most hideous menace. But Wait...it's not who you might think it is.Warning Eventual Slash HPDM ** Being re-edited with the final chapter posted soon!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:  
**I will only state this once, most characters and settings belong to the magnificent J. K. Rowling.  
It may seem every once and awhile that my story may seem like it resembles something else you have read here or out of here. I am sorry if this happens, but I do become influenced by other great works I have read. I will try t avoid this.  
Will contain HP/DM slash  
**Warning:  
**There will be Slash later along in the story.  
**Author's note:  
**I love to hear other people's input, as I feel it helps the story along. I also need a beta, so if there are any offers out there….

_Prologue_

Emerald eyes surveyed the damage around him; the wind whipping around his messy dark hair. His face was pulled and drawn in pain.  
Pain that he had caused,  
Pain that he couldn't fix,  
Pain he couldn't escape,  
Pain he would find a way to hide.

Hearing the sound of a cloak swishing behind him he refused to turn around and meet the eyes of the one man who had seen it all coming. He refused to look into those cool, blue eyes that had often twinkled at him in merriment. He couldn't take it, he just couldn't.

Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder and said in his soft voice, "You couldn't have saved them all Harry, and many wouldn't have wanted you to. All of them died for a cause they believed in; a leader the believed in."

Harry refused to look at him. Turning his back to the old man he let his pain and anger power his walk.

Dumbledore smiled as he watched the 'boy who lived' turn away angrily. His eyes twinkled in excitement. Everything was going according to plan, although Voldemort hadn't yet been killed, everything was going well.


	2. Leaving

_Chapter 1_

Emerald eyes closed, trying to block out the images that never seemed to end, but that wasn't the only reason, it was partly out of pain; a pain that came from everywhere, yet no where. A pain that made him feel that at any moment he would fall apart, into a million pieces, never to be whole again. Shakily his hands snaked up through his hair and his face contorted into a grimace. His eyes popped open again as his alarm clock bean to buzz.

His fuzzy mind tried to grasp the situation, his alarm had buzzed, so that meant he had set it right? But when had he set it, why had he set it, and…what time was it?  
Looking to the alarm clock Harry remembered. He remembered everything he had been trying to forget. He had to get ready to leave, because…because the Weasley's were going to take him to the burrow. But why was he going to the Burrow? He would only be there for a day. But he was going to the Weasley's because Dumbledore wanted someone to look out and make sure that Harry was of stable enough mind to go back to Hogwarts. Harry smiled sadistically at this point, Dumbledore hadn't wanted him to know, they had tried to keep it from him, but he had heard. They all thought that he was a great big wizarding warrior, and so they wanted to make sure he was well enough rested to go back to work again. And this war….The War…the one that had killed many of his fellow classmates, and their parents. The war that was supposed to end it all…hadn't. He had failed wizarding kind, and now they expected him to go and defeat their enemy, even if it meant he himself wouldn't be coming back.

Startling as Hedwig hooted he let out a large breath he slowly uncurled from his position on the floor, working out the cricks in his neck as he did. Sighing miserably he walked over to his friend's cage, 'Hello Hedwig. I guess I should let you out while I pack, that way you can fly to the Burrow. Got it? The Burrow.'

Hedwig snapped at him tenderly and then stepped out of the cage and onto his arm. Harry looked at her beautiful plumage for a minute, awestruck by something so beautiful, yet made perfectly for killing. Hedwig was sweet and gentle enough to him, but the mice she ate, they would only feel her sharp talons and ruthless beak. Walking to the window Harry shoved open the paned glass and stuck his arm out, allowing Hedwig to fly off to do whatever she needed to do.

'_Wish I had that choice.'_

Ashamed at thinking something so horrid Harry mentally reprimanded himself, he had enough pain to carry for now. Shaking himself he turned back to his room and noticed that he hadn't made it look that lived in, in fact the only thing he needed to put away was his parents' photo album. One thing from the people who he had started with, the first people he had ended up killing inadvertently.  
Walking over to it he noticed it was open to the picture of his parents and Sirius smiling at their wedding. Images and sounds then came pounding their way furiously, into his mind.  
_'…Save Harry…'  
'…Save the Chosen One…'  
'…Lord, please stop the pain…'  
'…No, no, NO!...'  
'…stop the pain; please…make it stop….'  
_'…_I die for freedom!...'  
_'…_tell mommy I love her…'_

Remembering the voices of the dying, on the battle field, in his nursery; the faces of his friends, school mates, teachers, and older figure heads, all of them bleeding and dieing in front of him. Suddenly, extremely angry and unable to stand just sitting and letting it continue in a loop of torture he threw the photo album of his happily smiling family at the wall. When it fell open to the same picture again, and he seen his parent figures smiling up at him he threw a punch with all his rage behind it, it hit the wall beside his door so forcefully it threw it open.

Dudley stood at the now open door and looked at him. In an alarmed, and then thoughtful voice, Dudley said, 'Bloody Hell. You know, I'll bet you any money, that if you had thrown a punch like that at me when we were younger, I would never have tormented you the way I had.'

Harry looked at him with a mix of anger, and surprise, 'What the hell are you doing here Dudley?"

Looking confused Dudley looked at Harry; his eyebrows scrunched together, 'To tell you the truth…I'm not sure…I guess I just figured that since today is supposed to be the last day I'm supposed to see you…that there wasn't really any point in making your life miserable any longer.'

Harry stared at his cousin for a long moment, taken aback by the honesty. Then after an awkward moment of silence between the two, whether it was out of madness, or some twisted humor, he began to laugh. Dudley gave an abashed smile and then joined in the laughter with him.

'T-That was…so….just so….funny'

Dudley smiled and slapped his leg, 'You-You should have…hahaha…..you should have seen yo-your face!'

The two grown boys were so caught up in their laughter, and the absurdity of the situation that they never heard Vernon Dursley's mass of body come waddling up the stairs. When his hulking figure filled the doorway however, Harry suddenly and instantaneously stopped laughing.

Dudley seemed to understand immediately who was behind him and so he said to Harry with anger and menace in his voice, although an apologetic look on his face, 'You better make sure all of your freaky things are gone when you leave.'

Turning around he acted as if he'd just seen his father, so with a smile plastered on his face he said, 'Hey dad, I want to show you this new boxing move they taught me at Smeltings this last year.'

As the two, very opposite, forms of Dudley and Vernon walked away Harry sighed and turned back to look at the photo album that was laying on the ground. Picking it up he caressed the people in the picture lovingly, tracing their outlines. Frowning slightly he looked closer at the corner of the picture, it was well worn, and so was completely brown and scuffed up, but, and he was sure of it now, there was a small sliver that was giving off a slightly orange-ish glow. Going to put his finger on it and wipe off any residual potion off of his beloved photo he was surprised out of his reverie.

'Harry…Harry!...HARRY! YOU WRETCHED THING, GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!'

Jumping off his bed Harry put the photo album in his trunk beneath all his school things, with the rest of his treasures. His memories were, for now, buried in the back of his mind. There were no thoughts of death, or blood anywhere.

Pulling his trunk and Hedwig's cage down the stairs Harry tripped over a small brown package. Picking it up he looked at it and seen scrawled across the top in neat writing, _'Harry, open in private_.'

Confused at who it was from Harry assumed Hedwig had dropped it off there quickly before going out mousing. Stuffing the small brown parcel into his jeans pocket he walked into the living room where his Aunt, Uncle, and Dudley were standing.

'Hello Harry.'

Turning to look at the man who had spoken to him Harry noticed that Ron and his father were both wearing black memorandum bands around their forearms. Wondering sadly at who they had now lost and what had happened Harry went to open his mouth to ask when Ron mouth _'Later'.  
_  
A little perturbed Harry turned back to Mr. Weasley and said, 'Hello sir, when do we leave? Is the fireplace hooked up to the floo network?'

Mr. Weasley smiled and said, 'We leave just as soon as you can get your things onto the back of your broom. And as we will not be using the floo, the Dursley's fire has not been hooked up.'

Harry smiled broadly, happy that he would be able to once again feel the wind whipping through his hair, feel the invigorating jolt as his stomach leapt into his throat. His pulse had quickened merely at the thought and so he walked quickly over to the cupboard under the stairs. Grabbing his Firebolt and gently caressing its polished shaft he smiled as he turned away from the cupboard. Taking it back into the living room he hooked his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the broom and then turned to Mr. Weasley, 'Ready sir."  
Smiling Mr. Weasley clapped his hands together and said, 'Good, good. Molly will be happy at how quickly this all went. She's been mighty worried about you, you know. What with the-'

Cutting himself off Mr. Weasley waved his hand and said, 'But that's not of importance right now. Let's be off, mustn't keep her waiting now.'  
Going to the door Harry gave a small little half-smile to Dudley before mounting his broom and pushing off, right behind him Ron, followed by his father. Together the three rose steadily higher. Looking at Mr. Weasley Harry frowned, besides usual, why would Mrs. Weasley be worried about him? No one else was.

Harry winced slightly at the soreness in his body, like earlier he felt that if he moved a single movement, his whole body would fall apart. Ron noticed and looked about to say something when Harry shook his head, this was one thing he wasn't going to share with his friend. Not now. Besides, Ron had some explaining to do before Harry even considered sharing something personal with him.

Reaching the Burrow Harry smiled until he noticed the black hangings in every window. Looking to Ron, wanting an explanation of who had died he was angered to see his best friend once again mouth the word, '_Later'._

Angrily stepping past Ron Harry marched up to the door, he expected that Ginny would be happy to tell him everything, even if Ron wouldn't, correct that, especially if Ron  
wouldn't.

----------------------------------------------------

**Hi all my lovely friends, thanks for reading my story. All I have to say right now is that I am so sorry for the strange goings on with my chapter 1 post. i just couldn't quite get it right, then as soon as I posted it I got it...and I'm just crazy, sorry.  
Anyhow, I would LOVE to get some reviews at any timehint.  
But I promise to have my next chapter done by the 16. Look forward to it hunnies.  
And a little teaser here, a special someone, whom I dearly love, will soon be showing her face.**


	3. Lunch

Chapter 2

As the door burst open a big mass of red hair plowed into Harry's chest knocking him backwards onto his butt. Smiling warmly at the mass of copper hair he said in a teasing voice, 'Happy to see me Ginny?'

Smiling Ginny pulled back, after giving him one more squeeze of a hug, and seen Ron's unhappy scowl on his face. Smiling vindictively at him Ginny purred, "Harry, we've all been missing you so much, and mom was nearly distraught, wondering how you were doing after The Wa-'

But before Ginny could finish her sentence Ron cut in gruffly, 'We'd better get inside so mum can love him to death already, she's been waiting for it all summer.'

Brother and sister shared a moment of scowling before Ginny bounded to her feet and said, 'Come on Harry. Fred and George should be coming at any minute for lunch. And I've heard that they've been working on some experiments that should be extremely special, and have large masses of order forms as soon as they hit shelves.'

Harry smiled broadly, that sounded just like the twins, and since he had given them the start up money they always showed him their latest products first. It was his special privilege. Harry remembered how the twins had actually used him as inspiration a couple times, or so they had said. Harry wondered what it was he'd been inspiration for…had it been the lust chocolates (make someone drool oceans over you), the invisible hat (show your friends how much of an air head you truly are), or had it been the hero potion (stand up to bullies, and your parents)?

As Ron stuck out his hand to help Harry up Harry was jolted back to the present, away from his musings on the Weasley twins and their various products. Smiling at Ron he took the preferred hand and stood up, trying to hold back a grimace as more pain shot through him. Sliding on his smiling mask he hoped that Ron wouldn't have seen the small grimace he had accidentally let loose.

But it was too late, Ron had seen, and this made him highly nervous about his friend's welfare. Looking anxiously at Harry's voice he asked, 'Are you alright?"

Harry laughed and smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes, 'Of course I'm all right, I was just thinking about the last time Fred and George showed me one of their inventions; it took me a whole week to remember that I wasn't a girl.'

Harry smiled as he remembered the effeminate pills (got girl problems? Try and see things through their eyes). But he quickly had to slide on his mask again as he remembered the Weasley brothers screaming in pain. Pain he had lead them into.

Ron smiled at him and said in a far away voice, 'Yeah…I'd nearly forgotten that. It was really funny the way you kept pretending to moon over Malfoy. He was so grossed out he had to leave Herbology to go be sick.'

Harry tried to laugh it off, 'Yeah, how I pretended to moon over Malfoy…'

But Ron was to caught up in his own laughter as he said, 'That was almost as funny as when Moody, you know, the fake one, turned him into a ferret and bounced him off the walls.'

At this point Ginny came back to see what was taking them so long, this time Hermione was with her. Hermione moved forward and hugged Harry tightly, 'Oh Harry…I-'

But as she was about to talk she let out a strangled sob and Ginny began to rub her back, a look of sympathy on her face. Harry was puzzled and looked to Ginny to ask what was wrong when he seen her glaring at Ron. Confused Harry figured he had better ask Ron. But Harry once again got the '_Later_' that was beginning to infuriate him beyond belief.

Turning around on his heel he wrapped Hermione in a tight hug and then kept his arm around her shoulder as he steered her inside, 'Come on, lets go eat and then we can sit down and go over everything, ok?'

Hermione nodded her head as tears began to stain her face, she hiccupped very now and then, but her breathing had more or less evened back out.

As Harry turned to go to the kitchen he was once again pulled into a giant bear hug, this time by a much more mature woman, but she still had the same coppery hair as all her children.

'Hello Mrs. Weasley.'

'Oh, Harry. It's so good to see y-you-'

Mrs. Weasley pulled back ad looked at him through watery eyes, alarmed at having more than one sobbing woman at a time he said, 'So….I'll bet you made us a delicious lunch, right?'

This seemed to be the right thing to say as she gave him a large smile and another hug, 'Such a dear, why none of my boys ever cared about my cooking this much.'

Sighing Ron said, 'Mum, we love your cooking.'

Mrs. Weasley though had already started hurrying around the kitchen, her wand waving about, causing pots to boil, potatoes to cut themselves, and all sorts of foods to prepare themselves.

As Harry was about to say that she shouldn't go through any trouble as it was just him he felt a pair of hands fall over his eyes just as the lights seemed to go out.

'Guess who Harry.'

Smiling Harry said in a thoughtful voice, 'I dunno, could it be the kindly old witch from Madame Malkin's?'

Knowing that Fred and George would act offended at this he wasn't surprised for the hands to be removed and to more copper haired men to look at him and pretend to scold him, 'Now Harry, why would you ever say anything so hurtful? I mean, we're like your older brothers.'

Harry smiled and said, 'Yeah, older brothers who always get me in trouble.'

Smiling wickedly George said, 'We can't help it if you use our products within teacher sight.'

Fred smiled just like his twin and said, 'Speaking of trouble, Harry, we have some products we'd like you to see later.'

Laughing Harry nodded his head and said, 'Sure, just after I talk to Hermione and Ron first, alright?'

But as he was finishing his sentence Mrs. Weasley had accidentally dropped a hot pan onto Ron's hand as she'd just noticed her twin boys' presence. Ron had stood up quickly from where he'd been sitting at the table and yelled in pain. Instantly this sent Mrs. Weasley's eyes to tearing.

George roughly pulled Ron aside and put a purple paste all over the hand that had been burned. Harry was worried about Mrs. Weasley, and wondered what was wrong, not wanting to wait any longer for an explanation he started walking over to Ron to demand an explanation when he heard, 'You know……hard on everyone……hardest…..Harry and you…..heart attack….'

Harry turned away from the two Weasley men and went to comfort Mrs. Weasley. Ginny looked at him and mouthed to him, '_After supper we need to talk.'_

As Mrs. Weasley began to calm down the men and two girls began to set the table with the magically cooked lunch, all clamoring over how excellent it smelled, and how Mrs. Weasley was such a great cook. Mrs. Weasley sniffled and smiled tearfully up at them, blowing her nose in her hankie occasionally.

As they sat down to eat Mrs. Weasley blew her nose, Fred grinned as he looked up at said, 'Mum.'

Mrs. Weasley turned to him and said, 'Yes dear?'

'How do you make a Hankie dance?'

Harry smiled as he recognized the joke; Hermione merely looked disgusted as she looked down at the split pea soup in front of her.

'Umm….I would think you could use a mobilus charm, couldn't you?'

George snorted some soup up his nose as his mother unawares made the joke that much funnier.

'Sorry dear, I'm not exactly sure…and George, slow down to eat.'

Fred smiled at his mother and said, 'You put a bogie in it. You know bogie, boogie, dance?'

Looking at him Mrs. Weasley looked down to the split pea soup and said, 'Fred, that is not quite appropriate at the dinner table.'

Harry smiled as the common babble filled up his concentration. This was a much more pleasant atmosphere than he had imagined; even if it was all strained.

As the family began to all buckle down to eat Ron suddenly let out another yelp. George, with a snicker said, 'What's the matter now dear brother? Can't find your mouth?'

Ron let out a strangled, 'More like I can't find my hand.'

Harry and everyone else at the table looked up now, instantly Fred and George dissolved into laughter. Harry and Ginny bit back a smile while Hermione looked worriedly at Ron. Mrs. Weasley turned accusing eyes on Fred and George.

'I've told you two repeatedly to warn a member of this family when you are about to use one of your products!'

George bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as he said, 'But mother, you see, it isn't one of our products, not yet anyways. It's only a prototype.'

Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron all took this as their cue to leave the table; Mrs. Weasley now had her targets and was not going to let them out of sight easily. It was best to stay out of the way while the war commenced.

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**Hi, I thought I would repeat myself here, I desperatly need a beta to look over my posts for me, and I seriously need readers to send in their reviews, please.  
But I hope you're loving it so far, and if you're not please write and tell me why not. I want to try and make it pleasent for everyone involved i nthis type of genre. Thanks.**


	4. Explanation

Chapter 3

Up in Ron's Room Hermione and Ginny sat on the bed, Ginny patiently having her hair braided by Hermione as Harry paced back and forth and Ron sulked about his still invisible hand. Harry finally turned on Ron and simply said in a, surprisingly, calm voice, 'So could I please hear what is going on around here? Or is that a privilege too great for me?'

Ginny looked at him and snorted, 'Right, like we could ever have any secrets from you. I mean come on, you'd eventually find out all about them anyways.'

Ron looked at his sister and said in a more warning voice than uncertain, 'Perhaps we should leave it to mum and dad to tell him.'

Ginny laughed and said, 'Yeah, I can just see it now. Mum blubbering all over and dad getting side tracked about some muggle thing that he is just certain Harry will tell him is hugely amazing and fascinating. Ronald, either you tell him or I will.'

Hermione looked at Ron and said, 'I agree with Ginny, Harry has a right to know, besides, he tells us everything about him.'

Harry only felt slightly guilty that Hermione trusted him to tell her everything. But he quickly got over it when, as Ron looked like he'd just tasted something sour, Ginny said, 'All right, I'll tell him.'

Turning to Harry, with Hermione playfully scolding her for moving, Ginny said in a strictly factual manner, 'Just a couple days ago, our Uncle Amadeus died at the hands of you-know-who. He was on a 'mission', only mum and dad truly know what it was, and they won't tell us.'

Smiling at Harry Ginny said, "But Harry, when you do find out, could you tell us? I mean, he was one of my favorite uncles.'

As Harry gave her a disbelieving look Ginny said, 'He was, I've just gotten over grieving him, ok?"

Harry put his hands up in mock defense and said, 'Alright, I give, I give. So then why wouldn't Ron tell me earlier?'

Ron gave a strange happy little meep from the corner as his hand began to reappear (looks like Fred and George's newest invention would be a huge hit). Ginny looked at her brother for a second and then continued on, 'Well….he was our mother's twin, and the only one besides her that hadn't been killed off in the initial you-know-who time.'

Harry nodded his head as he came to understand, he was intelligent you know. Meanwhile Ron was happily flexing his hand over in the corner, sure that his hand was back without any unseen complications he tuned into the conversation.

'Not only that, but Uncle Amadeus was also our mum's little sanity keeper. He would go off to all these fantastic places in the world and owl mum different gifts from each place. It helped her remember that there is a whole world out there besides just us kids.'

Ginny now seemed bored and when Hermione magically put her hair back to normal Ginny leaned her head back against Hermione and said, 'So now what-'

But just as Ginny was about to complete her sentence a sharp crack sounded at the window. Harry seen his owl, Hedwig, and so walked over to let her in. He was only mildly surprised that she hadn't been here earlier.

Walking into the room with her on his arm he left the window open and looked down to see a bit of parchment attached to her leg. As she stuck it out for him to take off he said, 'Now who is this from?'

As he was about to open it another owl swooped into the room. She was just as beautiful as Hedwig, but Harry had never seen her before.

'Ginny, did you get a new owl or something?'

Ginny shook her head and said, 'Nope, I still just have Arnold.'

Hermione blushed and said, 'Owl's for me.'

They watched Hermione go and let the owl perch on her shoulder, quickly, and excitedly untying the scroll of parchment from the owl's leg.

Ginny who had been watching seen Hermione's face break out into a huge grin asked, 'It's not another note from Viktor is it?"

Hermione laughed and said, 'No, of course not. It's a new letter from my owl pal.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow and Hermione laughed, 'A girl from Canada and I, we owl back and forth all the time. And she said here in this letter that she'll be coming to Hogwarts this year. Her mom was being transferred to the local wizardry of magic, and so they're moving to England.'

Ginny smiled, slightly sad, and said, 'Well….you'll have to introduce us when she gets here.'

Smiling widely Hermione hadn't noticed Ginny's sadness and said, 'Don't worry; I'm sure you'll love her.'

Harry watched all of this, his own note forgotten for the moment. As he just remembered it Pig, Ron's pigmy owl, came into the room and excitedly circled Ron's head.

Snatching the owl out of the air Ron read the parchment and then crumpled it and dropped it into Hedwig's cage on the bottom, 'Stupid Git.'

Nobody asked who it was; they all already knew it had to have been from Percy.

Ron, not wanting to answer what it had said asked Harry, 'So what is yours all about mate?'

Harry quickly opened his own note and read it over. Getting angry as he read he crumpled it up and shoved it into his pocket. Hermione looked at him in an examining sort used on prisoners if they'd been suspected of doing something wrong.

'What did it say?'

Harry just shrugged his shoulder, 'Dumbledore was just saying he wants me to be taking some extra lessons this year. You know, for fighting Voldemort with.'

As Harry said the name everyone in the room gave an odd squeak and shudder, sighing Harry said, 'You guys have to get over that.'

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**Yeah, so what if I posted more than one chapter in a day? you guys should be happy, right?  
If you want some more of this, just hang in tight, I hope to have chapter four up tomorrow.**


	5. Letters

Chapter 4

_Dear Hermy,  
guess what? My mom just got the news; she's been transferred to the England Ministries Department of Mysteries! Isn't that exciting?  
Anyhow, the most exciting part of this is that I got to pick which school I want to go to, mom wanted me to go to Beauxbatons, but I told her that I really wanted to go to Hogwarts. Mom said that she had heard that Harry Potter goes there, isn't that awesome! So while I get to see you for the first time, maybe we'll be in the same house, I may also get a chance to see The Harry Potter!  
Well, I better leave it at this because we're supposed to be moving and getting ready for school and everything today.  
Sincerely,  
Lizzy._

_P.S  
I get to be sorted, groan, with all the first years, talk about embarrassment._

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

_Dear Ronald,_

_At the ministry we have been investigating into why the last 'War' was lost. We have been thinking lately that Harry Potter may have thrown it on purpose. So with these thoughts in mind I would advise you to stay away from him, no, better yet, get closer to him and find out if he did, and why.  
If you get these results please mail me back quickly by owl, with one other than this pygmy, he's too excitable for the office.  
Sincerely,  
Percy_

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

_Dear Harry,_

_In the new school term this year we will have some new assignments that you will be needed to perform, and you shall be expected to take some new courses to help you in fighting Lord Voldemort. After last time I figure that you need to be strengthened in a few areas.  
Sincerely,  
Albus Dumbledore_

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

All three teens that had gotten the letters were looking thoughtful at the moment as they went over their letters in their heads. Ginny, who was feeling irritated at being ignored balled up a sock and threw it at her brother.

'What, am I not here or something?'

Hermione laughed and ruffled Ginny's hair; Harry smiled as Ron picked up the smelly sock and threw it back at his sister.

'No, there is no possible way to forget you being here. You always end up reminding us.'

Hermione looked at Ron and said with an angry mask on her face, 'Why do you always have to be so mean to everybody?'

As Hermione stood up and stormed out Ginny looked at Ron as she followed and said, 'Smooth move.'

Harry looked at Ron and Ron said, 'Bloody hell…..women. Who can understand them?'

Harry gave a bit of a grin as he said, 'Maybe you should take a bit of Fred and George's effeminate potion?'

Ron gave a grimace and looked at Harry with wide eyes, 'No way, not after seeing you with it.'

The two boys began to start laughing and joking about all the stupid things that they'd done, all the spots of trouble they'd gotten themselves into. As time passed Harry cleaned out Hedwig's cage, and all other sorts of yummy goodness that consisted in owning an owl.

As they got to the war the two boys stopped talking and fell into an uneasy silence, Ron was staring at Harry with a strange look on his face as he thought to himself, "_Why does e have to be so good looking and always be considerate of others, even if they don't deserve it?"_

Harry caught Ron staring at him and said with a puzzled frown, 'What's up? You look like you're going to be sick or something?'

"_Yeah, sick in love with you"_ But knowing he could never say it Ron said, 'I think I'm still feeling a bit grossed out by the invisible hand and all. You know, it's creepy to feed yourself with no hand.'

Harry laughed and at this point Hermione and Ginny came back into the room, Hermione smiled and handed Ron and Harry two letters stamped with the crest of Hogwarts, 'Our supplies lists are here.'

Ron smiled broadly at the new flow of conversation, 'That's good, I mean, we have to go to Diagon Alley, so we could stop in Fred and George's shop to get some pranks for school.'

Harry looked at Ron and said in a sad sigh, 'I won't be able to pull and pranks this year. With the extra studies I'll be lucky if I can even continue Quidditch.'

Ginny looked at him and patted his shoulder consolingly, 'Don't worry; we'll schedule our practices around your extra classes. And if you still can't make it work out, we can always find another seeker.'

Harry smiled as he realized that last was just a bit of friendly teasing. Grabbing her in a headlock he gave her a noogie and said, 'Say Uncle.'

'Never!'

'Come on, I know you're gonna say it.'

'No, no…ahhhahahhahaa….'

Harry smiled as he turned his attention from the noogie to tickling her. Hermione laughed as she watched the two friends play around, a hint of jealousy. Ron though was watching as if he could murder his sister, standing up he marched over and separated them.

'Come on, we have to go get our school things. We don't have time for this.'

Harry looked at Ron with a questioning look and Ron blushed silently. Ginny looked at her brother and said, 'Whatever. Hermy and I will go get our stuff and meet you two down stairs.'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'We'll be about 10 minutes.'

Hermione waved good bye to them as she and Ginny left to go to Ginny's room and get ready. Turning to Ron Harry said, 'Mate, you have got to lighten up.'

Ron nodded his head and said, 'Yeah, I know, sorry. I'm just really confused right now about….things.'

Harry nodded his head in understanding and said with a laugh, 'Been there, done that.'

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**OK, I promise, this will be the last, let say, boring, chapter before it starts to actually get intrestining. But I have to warn you. now they will take a bit longer to write, as I'm going to try and incorporate humour, and new ideas into my writing, along with some type of plot line.  
But, I really need you guys to start reviewing please, especially since I truly need a beta.**


	6. Sex and Such

Chapter 5

Harry dusted the soot off of his robes as he walked into Diagon Alley. Smiling at the air of excitement and the enticing calls and aromas he looked at the open windows of the many shops lining the street. There was Olivander's wand shop, Madame Malkin's robes, the Potionary, Gringott's wizarding bank, Fred and George's joke shop, and many more. But as he heard Mrs. Weasley come out behind him he turned, reluctantly; back to listen to her.

'….Now we have to meet back here in 3 hours. No exception-'

'Mum, I have to get my hair done at Wisp and Whorl's at 4:00.'

'OK, Ginny can stay until 5:30 to get her hair done while we go eat at the Inn-'

'Mum I have to get some new robes hemmed for me, I'm growing out of all my old ones. And that will take a bit for her to do.'

Sighing Mrs. Weasley threw her hands up into the air and said, 'Just make sure you all get to the Inn and have supper by 6:30 and that's final. Please.'

Harry smiled at Mrs. Weasley and said, 'Don't worry; we'll get back safe and sound.'

Mrs. Weasley smiled at him and said, 'You four say that all the time, and then you usually end up getting into trouble. Just make sure you four all get everything you need before spending on frivolous extras.'

The foursome began to trot off before Mrs. Weasley had even finished her sentence. They were instantly heading to get their potion supplies first off.

Outside the shop Ron had just walked into the glass door and upon entering the other three were all laughing as they passed the barrels of newts eyes and frogs livers. Ginny's eyes slightly tearing in mirth, while Harry was simply smiling; this all quickly stopped though when they heard a sneer.

'Well, well…it's certainly good to know that even in poverty you can still laugh. Isn't that right Weasles?'

The four turned to look at the speaker and Ginny snarled back, 'Watch it ferret, or you might be bounced so high as to be able to see if there really is green cheese on the moon.'

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, he would never admit it aloud, but he was slightly impressed by the spunk of the youngest Weasley.

'What's the matter Ronnikins, your sister has to fight your battles for you now that Potty is useless?'

Ron snarled and was about to attack Draco when Harry put a restraining hand on his shoulder, Draco gave Ron a malicious smile. Turning to Harry he said, 'So...how is life now that you've killed all of your parents; birth and god? Is it lonely?'

Hermione glared at him and started speaking in a harsh voice, 'At least he still has people who love him, I mean, who have you got. Your father's in Azkaban and your mother's dea-'

But Hermione was cut off as Harry put a warning hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Hermione looked at him with a questioning gaze and looked about to open her mouth to audibly remind him of how evil Draco was when Harry gave a curt shake of his head. Draco was curious as to why Harry would stop Hermione from finishing the rant that she had started against him; this wasn't like Harry at all, for god's sake, he had laughed when she had punched Draco.

Harry looked at Ron meaningfully and Ron mumbled something about robes and mending. Harry then looked to Hermione and Ginny, Ginny seemed to be about to rebuke him when Hermione took her arm and said, 'Come on, you need some new catcher gloves, and I need some new books, the selection at the library isn't as extensive as it could be on some subjects.'

Harry smiled as Hermione, who had gotten the hint, led Ginny out of the potionary. Turning back to Draco he let the smiling mask drop and said, 'How come you have to provoke them like that? It only makes them angry, and then that only makes them want to hurt you, and then when they hurt you, you try to retaliate and the whole circle just keeps on going. Not to mention it's going to make it hard to live with them now.'

Draco was taken aback by how Harry was talking, his curiosity rising, what was going on with the Golden Boy he knew? The one who he could provoke so easily, who he enjoyed to rally with; the one who he had been fighting since they first met.

'Well Potter, they shouldn't be walking around with arms stretched out, offering people the perfect target, opportunity, the chance even, to mock them.' He felt kind of bad as he spat it at the Griffindor.

Harry sighed and said in a slightly disappointed voice, 'Whatever, I guess a leopard can't change its stripes, even if it's given all the opportunities.'

Draco inwardly tried to figure out what could have changed Harry to this extremity, before Harry would have jumped at the chance to verbally attack him, now he was disappointed that Draco was giving him the chance? While he sat thinking this over Harry looked at the book held in his hand and said, '_Sexual Pleasure and Sex Related_? Looking forward to school this year are you Malfoy? Or just trying to expand your personal library of useless books?'

Draco tried not to blush, as he had forgotten about the book, but instead gave a cocky smile and said in a self assured tone, 'Some of us aren't celibate potter.'

Harry smiled and said with laughing eyes, 'Yeah you're right.'

Turning around Harry left a slightly shocked Draco in his wake. The Golden Boy was no longer so golden in innocence, and he was no longer the explosive sparring partner he once was.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Hermione looked breathless while she smiled and continued on, '…I have to get some more parchment to mail Lizz with, no wait, she is coming to Hogwarts now. So I won't need it. I mean, Lizz is just too cool. Her dad was a manager of this big musical band, and her mum works in the Department of Mysteries. And she has an older brother who works with the different species like Vampires, and Centaurs, and Merpeople, and….'

As Hermione talked Ron was showing Harry his new quills, some of them had golden scribing on them, and his new robes that were his first non hand me downs. Meanwhile, Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ginny looked a bit perturbed, not quite sure why he was about to ask her when she burst out.

'Ok, we get it, you're in love with 'Lizz', but you could have at least said something about my hair!' Ginny looked like she was close to tears.

Hermione looked at Ginny and said in a shocked voice, 'I'm not in love with her. And Ginny, your hair looks great.'

Ginny glared at Hermione and said, 'Tell me what's different about it then!'

Hermione smiled a bit and said in a soothing voice, 'You got some blonde highlights, and you had your hair feathered out at the bottom.'

Ginny gave a small happy smile and said, 'Yeah.'

'It looks really nice Ginny.'

'Thanks.'

Harry watched all of this with interest, was there something here he hadn't noticed before? But Ron didn't notice anything, as usual, as his head was in his new robes and explaining their intricacies to Harry.

Harry shook his head to clear it of Hermione and Ginny speculations, and he then interrupted Ron's rave about the small stitching, 'Yeah, I think we should probably meet up with your parents now. I mean it's…' Looking at his watch Harry's eyes widened, 'Bloody Hell. It's already 7:00.'

Ron looked at him as if he was making a joke that fell short of being funny then shook his head in denial, 'You're losing it mate. It can't possibly be that late already.'

Harry stuck his watch clad wrist out to Ron, and as Ron's eyes widened he said, 'Losing it huh? The only thing we'll be losing is our heads when we catch up to your mum and dad.'

Ron's eyes widened further and he said, 'Bloody Hell…mum.'

Ginny and Hermione had been listening to the two friends after their small spat and now Ginny said in a scared whisper, 'We'd best run.'

At this the four friends all took off as if the devil himself were on their heels.

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**OK, I seriously need a beta, because when I'm working with the story there are some things i may accidentally over look.  
But i hope that this appeases you more than the others. please write and let me know.**


	7. Sorrow

Chapter 6

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry slowed down and tip toed silently to the front door of the burrow. Getting to the door Ron took out a package of oil from his pocket, he had brought it just in case something like this might happen, and dripping it on the hinges of the door he swung it open and stepped inside. Harry, Ginny and Hermione followed. Ron had just started to smile and say, 'Well, I think we're saf-'

'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING! I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU TO BE HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND FRED AND GEORGE TELL ME THEY SEEN YOU FOLLING AROUND DOWN IN DIAGON ALLEY! DO YOU NOT FEEL THAT YOUR MOTHER THE WOMAN WHO HAS RAISED YOU AND LOVED YOU WOULD NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST BIT BE WORRIED?'

'Mum, we-'

'DO NOT INTERRUPT VIRGINIA WEASLEY, YOU ARE IN ENOUGH TROUBLE AS IT IS!'

'Mum, Ginny only-'

'RONALD AND VIRGINIA WEASLEY, HAVE I NOT RAISED YOU TWO TO UNDERSTAND COMMON MANNORS? HAVE I NOT TOLD YOU WHAT I EXPECT OF GROWN TEENAGERS? HAVE I NOT TREATED YOU WITH TRUST AND CAREING-'

But at this point Mrs. Weasley let out a shaky sob and seemed to quaver a bit. In an instant all four teenagers huddled around the large loving woman, quickly apologizing and reassuring her of everything that they could possibly think of. After a moment Mrs. Weasley gave them all a small, still slightly angry smile, and said, 'Off to bed, before I completely lose it.'

At these words the four teens quickly gave Mrs. Weasley a kiss on the cheek and then hurried up the stairs to their respective bedrooms. Ron turned to Harry and said, 'Sorry mate, I should have kept a closer look at the time. It's all my fault my mum yelled at us.'

Harry who was also listening to the soft murmurings of Hermione and Ginny behind them shrugged his shoulders and said dismissively, 'Don't worry about it. Things happen you can't help.'

Ron smiled at Harry and as they got to his room he said, 'So do you want top or bottom bunk?'

Harry looked at the new bed that was in the room, the Weasley's had gone out and purchased a new bed for Ron and Harry after having sort of adopted him as their own son. Harry smirked and said, 'Top of course.'

Ron smiled back at Harry, but his smile quickly disappeared as Harry began to pull his shirt over his head. 'Uhmm…I feel thirsty, I'm just gonna go and get a drink, I'll be right back.'

Harry looked after Ron left, he felt slightly relieved, and he didn't want Ron to question the bruises or scars on his body. Thins were just easier in general if things were left a secret.

As Ron walked down the stairs to the kitchen he repeatedly berated himself, '_Harry is your best mate, and you are NOT gay, why are you doing this? You need to snap out of it, and quick.'_

Ron slowed down and was about to enter the kitchen when he heard quite whispering. Moving closer to the wall and perking his ears up he silently cursed himself for not having a set of extendable ears on him.

'…Molly, we should ask Albus to reconsider, after all, Harry is only a teenager. He's the same age as our Ron, and only a year older than our Ginny. He still needs to experience some semblance of a child hood.'

Sighing a worn female voice said, 'I know Arthur, but Albus is also right, Harry is needed to fight this war. Everyone and anyone has known it since he was only a year old. Poor little rascal.'

'That's exactly it though Molls, he's been working on this war for all of his wizarding life, and before that he was a virtual slave to that so called 'family' of his. The boy needs some fun.'

' Arthur, I realize what you're saying, what Remus and Tonks are saying, heck, what the rest of the males in this family are saying, but I can't help but want to feel the freedom of no you-know-who around. I mean, he isn't going to wait until Harry has a child hood to attack, he's going to attack when he thinks no one is looking.'

Ron heard some shuffling and assumed his father had pulled his mum into a hug as his father's voice started again, 'I know exactly how you feel, but don't you feel like we should be looking out for ALL our children, Harry included?'

Not hearing anything for a moment Ron was about to start heading back upstairs when he heard a short sob and then his fathers soothing voice, 'There there Mollikins, everything will be just fine. We'll let the four kids go off to Hogwarts, and if we feel that in any of their letters they're sounding a bit sad or morose, we'll call a meeting with Dumbledore…'

Having heard enough for one night Ron turned around and started to head back to his room. His mind was whirling with thoughts, he tried to think about it, but he'd never actually heard Harry complain about what happened at the Dursley's, only that he hadn't liked them overly much. Thinking even harder he couldn't recall one time when Harry had mentioned anything about living at the Dursley's. Sure, he spoke of how they looked and of his memories with his mum and dad, but never of what he did at the Durlsey's.

As he pondered he slowly made his way up the stairs, his mind had never really worked this hard on anything before. Actually it had; that one time when he had tried to figure out what his feelings for Hermione were while trying to figure out his feelings over the entire Hermione-Viktor thing. He had eventually realized he felt more of a brotherly protective feeling for her than a lovers feeling of possessiveness. Reaching his room he quickly tried to snap out of his function as he opened the door.

'Hey Ron, I've got a riddle for you, what's the difference between Nearly Headless Nick, and yourself?'

Ron smirked and said, 'Come on Harry, I'll never get it.'

'Come on, take a guess.'

Laughing Ron said, 'What, did he have red hair while he was alive or something?'

Harry rolled over on the top bunk to face Ron and smiled broadly, 'Nope but close. Give up?'

'Yeah, I definitely give up, now tell me.'

Smiling wickedly Harry said, 'I'm not so sure I should. Maybe I should leave you hanging.'

Ron gave a snarl and said in a warning voice, but joking eyes, 'Tell me or else…'

Letting out a small laugh Harry said, 'The difference between Ronald Weasley…' short pause to annoy Ron with the use of his full name, 'And Nearly Headless Nick is that Nick's executioner used an axe to chop off his head, where as your mom just chewed off yours.'

Ron gave a sort of grimace as Harry reminded him of what his mum and dad had been talking about, 'Look mate, there's something I think I should tell you.'

Seeing the grimace and hearing his friends somber tone Harry slid off the bunk bed and walked over to Ron, 'What?'

'Uhmm…I kind of over heard my mum and dad talking about Dumbledore and you. My dad figures you shouldn't be going back to Hogwarts this year but that you should be having a child hood or something like that. But my mum, she feels that Dumbledore's right, that you should be practicing to fight you-know-who. She said that 'You-know-who isn't going to wait for Harry to have a child hood, he'll attack when he thinks no ones looking'.'

Harry looked at Ron for a good long moment before he said in a soft voice, 'I need a drink. Be right back.'

As Ron now watched Harry leaving the room he felt slightly ill and quite a bit worried for his friend.

As Harry rounded the doorway to the kitchen he sighed and walked to the sink. Looking out the window over it he filled a glass full of water and looked at the moon. And he said softly, 'They all expect me to be perfect, their savior. But how can I?'

Smiling sadly he began to sing,

'There's too much work and I'm spent  
There's too much pressure and I'm bent  
I've got no time to move ahead  
Have you heard one thing that I've said

All these little things in life  
They all create this haze  
There's too many things to get done  
And I'm running out of days…'

Looking at the stars in the sky he continued singing in a soft voice,

'…Well all these little things in life  
They create all this haze  
And now I'm running out of time  
I can't see through this haze

My friend tell me why  
It has to be this way  
There's too many things to get done  
And I'm running out of days…'

Drinking his glass of water he sets it down on the counter which began to magically wash it and put it away before he had even turned around. Walking back to the stairs he began to walk back up to Ron's room. Hearing some whispered murmuring on his way to Ron's room he stopped and put his ear against Ginny's door.

'….Hermione…that feels so nice….'

'I know it does, now kiss me…'

Smiling to himself Harry turned and continued back on his way back to Ron's room. This would just be one more thing he couldn't tell Ron, one more secret. Only difference between this one and all the others would be that this one was a happy one. There were no tears or danger involved in it. No mortal danger anyhow.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

As Draco walked elegantly from the floo he dropped his many packages on the floor and flopped onto the day bed that was right beside the fireplace. Putting his arm across his face he sighed and stood up to make himself some supper. He had to make it himself as he had fired all the house elves, the reminded him too much of his parents.

Walking to the kitchen he quickly whipped up a vegetable soup. Adding his crackers to it he sat down at the kitchen table, looking sadly at the places were his parents used to sit from him. His mothers seat were she would have been daintily sipping at her soup, careful not to spill a drop, his fathers seat where he would have been talking gloomily about what Voldemort had set as a task now.

Disgusted with the fact that he couldn't have even a simple meal without being reminded of his parents he walked to the sink and poured the remaining sink down the garberater. Turning to the living room he sat in a sofa and stared at the pictures on the mantle.

Looking at a picture of his family he fell into old memories,

'_Draco, Darling, come here my blond angel. Come to mommy.' _

_An energetic young toddler ran over to the beautiful blond woman that stood so gracefully and beautiful. She had a hand placed gently on her round belly._

'_Come sweet, feel your sister kick.'_

'_Mommy, does baby want to play?'_

'_Yes, and baby knows she will be out in a short while. Now Draco, can you tell me how much older than baby you are?'  
'Draco is two years older than baby.' As the small little boy said this he stuck up three of his small fingers.  
Laughing the woman gently pushed down one finger and said, 'Yes, Draco is two years older than his sister.'_

FLASH

'_Draco, son, come here.'  
'Coming daddy.'  
A slightly older, but still blond young boy ran to an older looking replica. The older man picked up his young son and said, 'Do you feel like flying today?'_

'_Do we get to go for a ride on father's broom?'_

_Chuckling the older man shook his head and said, 'NO, but Draco can fly on his own, just like a bird.'_

_Laughing the little boy put his arms out and began to flap them like a bird does its wings, 'Fly me daddy, fly me!'_

_Laughing at his young sons words the man tossed his son up into the air and then caught him gently._

'_Whee Daddy!'_

FLASH

_A young boy was now swinging on a swing his mother behind him as she pushed; a young baby was resting in the grass underneath the same weeping willow._

'_Mommy, can Amiée swing with me?'_

_Smiling and laughing lightly the woman said, 'Sorry Draco, Aimée is too young, maybe in another year.'_

_Pouting slightly the young boy nodded his head and said, 'In a year Amiée can play. And she and Draco will have lots of fun.'_

_Laughing again the beautiful woman said, 'Yes Draco, you two will have lots of fun.'_

FLASH

_Now the man, woman, young boy and a small girl were all sitting in a large tent that was multi colored, and there was a lot of excited murmuring going around. The boy looked fairly old now and was holding the girl's hand, 'Look Amiée, there's a hippogriff right there.'  
The young girl scooted closer to him on the seat and said, 'Don't let 'im eat me Daco.' _

_Smiling at her the older boy wrapped his arms around her in a hug and said, 'Don't worry, I'd never let anything happen to you. You are much too special for anything to happen to.'  
At the young girl and boys words the older couple smiled with pride in their eyes, the young boy had taken to his younger sister instantly, claiming himself to be her protector the minute she was born._

FLASH

'_Lucius, this is the last warning before I take everything from you. Next task you refuse and I will take more than just a child.'  
In the corner the lovely woman from earlier was holding tightly onto the younger girl. The young boy stood in front of them with a look of determination on his face._

'_Leave us alone you bad man.'  
The older man looked on sadly, there were too many Death Eaters to even try and put up a fight, but he had to try, no matter how stupid it was. And he did try, him and Draco, they took curse after curse. Their screams of pain were mingled with the screams of terror of the young girl.  
'Amiée, I will find you.' The young boy said this before he fell into complete darkness._

FLASH

_The woman's lifeless body, her blond hair surrounding her head like an angel's halo. She lay in the arms of the man, whose form was also lifeless. Beside the two sat an older teenage boy, his face was stained with tears as he looked up at a man in a hooded cloak.  
The man said in a rasping voice, 'Your father was warned.'  
Standing up angrily the boy said, 'So you killed them! You killed them because they refused to blow up a children's ward! You killed them because they showed decency! What type of sick people are you!'  
At the boys words he was hit with a powerful spell, one that left gashes on his chest, ribbing his shirt to shreds. But the boy remained standing, his eyes beginning to glow with an eerie silver light.  
All of a sudden there was a great explosion, destroying everything and everyone in the building; except for one, the boy._

FLASH

Raking his fingers through his hair Draco yelled at the room in large, 'Why them! Why her!'

Once he had vented a bit of his anger a small little silver coated animal sat in his lap. Its front paws were placed on his chest and it licked his face softly with its raspy tongue. The small Meeval was trying to comfort its distressed master. It could feel the sadness and anger rolling off his body.

Draco smiled wearily at the tiny animal, 'Hey Bitz, how was today? Not too boring I hope. Oh well, off to Hogwarts tomorrow, and I can't leave you home now that…'clearing his throat he continued, 'can't leave you home alone.'

The small animal curled up on his shoulder and let out a soft warble of happy music. Smiling Draco let the animal stay on his shoulder, knowing it could keep its balance, and began to pick his packages up.

'Well Bitz, I better put these in my trunk for tomorrow. And we better get your stuff together as well.'

Walking up the stairs Draco thought to himself, _and tomorrow is another day_.

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**Hello, and i just want to say thank you so much to those who have reviewed and would like to ask fro msome more delicious reviews. Nice or mean.  
And I would like to announce that I may have found a new beta. Wait and I shall give you a name soon enough.  
Much love and please tell me if you hate or love this chapter.**


	8. Train Time

Chapter 7

'Come on Ron, get out of bed already! You haven't moved an inch since I got up.'

Moaning Ron rolled over and brought an arm up and across his eyes, while giving a very obscene gesture with his middle finger. Rustling and running could be heard throughout the Weasley house, but it filtered into Ron's room as a silent whisper.

Shaking him Harry said in a now exasperated voice, 'Come on mate…we'll be late for the Hogwarts Express.'

Upon hearing these words Ron sat bolt upright, in the process bonking heads with Harry.

'Sorry Harry.'

'Oooooh, forget it Ron. Just get ready.' Rubbing his head he pointed at the door.

Ron jumped off his bed, heard a slight crunch, not worrying about it though, it was probably some crackers or something he'd brought up at one time or another, he exited the bedroom and almost got knocked over by Ginny yelling, 'Arnold! Arnold! Come here sweetie!'

Laughing Ron started speaking, 'I'll bet the little rat ran away to hide from-'

ZAP!

'Sorry Ron, my hair is just full of static electricity.'

'No problem Hermione.' Groaning Ron made his way down to the kitchen.

In the kitchen itself there were dirty plates piled beside the sink, and Mrs. Weasley was hurriedly trying to stuff things inside several trunks. Walking down the stairs behind him Harry held a pair of squashed glasses in his hands.

'Ron, did you step on my glasses?'

Ron, who's mother had just decided to start spooning his porridge into his mouth mumbled, spitting bits here and there, 'Sorry mate, thought it was some crackers.'

Harry sighed and tried putting them on, only to have them slide side ways on his face, one lens missing and the other completely shattered, 'Don't worry Ron.'

'Ronald, where are your school text books?'

Ron whipped his head around to stare at his mother. Swallowing the lump of porridge he said, 'I don't know.'

'RONALD WEASLEY, YOU AREN'T EVEN AT SCHOOL AND YOU'VE ALREADY LOST YOUR BOOKS!'

Harry ducked out of the room to Mrs. Weasley yelling at Ron, running into Mr. Weasley Harry mumbles, 'Sorry sir, glasses are broke.'

Smiling at him Mr. Weasley said, 'No problem Harry. Here.' Taking Harry's glasses he tapped them once with his wand as he said, 'Reparo.'

Handing the glasses back to Harry he said, 'Now, I'm off to have some breakfast.'

Smiling Harry said, 'Good luck with that sir.'

Mr. Weasley stared at him in confusion as Harry continued up the stairs to his and Ron's room, needing to clean out Hedwig's cage for the ride to Hogwarts.

Upon entering the kitchen Mr. Weasley went to sit down in his chair but jumped back up when finding a stack of books there. Sighing he said, 'And who's are these?'

Smiling broadly at him, and shooting a scowl at Ron, Mrs. Weasley said, 'Thank you dear, I've been looking for Ron's books.'

Shaking his head Mr. Weasley turned to start on his breakfast while Mrs. Weasley took a drink of her tea.

ZAP! Hissssss…

'Ouch!' Mrs. Weasley looked to her bottom where Crookshanks had sunk his claws in, wincing she moved to try and pry him off.

'So sorry Mrs. Weasley! My air just won't stop giving off static zaps.'

Smiling at the humorous situation Mr. Weasley pulled out his wand for the second time that morning, pointing it at Hermione's hair he said, 'I think that's a tad bit more dangerous right now. Poor Crookshanks has already been on the receiving end. Statie Bijon!'

Hermione timidly put a hand to her hair, not receiving a shock she smiled broadly and gave Mr. Weasley a hug, 'Thank you so much sir!'

Hurrying back off, Hermione ran up the stairs, Mr. Weasley turned to Mrs. Weasley and said, 'Now, we can't have you going to the platform in a tea stained robe. Scurgify!'

Smiling at him Mrs. Weasley managed a, 'Thank you dear', before she was interrupted by a horn honking.

Looking out the window she sighed and began to shout out, 'YOU FOUR! GET DOWN HERE NOW, THE MINISTRY CARS JUST OUT FRONT!'

Laughing Mr. Weasley put down his tea and straightened his robes, heading to the door he began to put on his hat and boots.

'Mum! I c-can't find Arnold!'

'Oh Ginny, he'll turn up, I'm sure of it.'

'But mum, he's so little, anything could have gotten him!'

Beside her Ron smirked and said, 'Yeah, like Bollywog. You know how they love small little rats to eat.'

Mrs. Weasley glared at Ron, 'GO UPSTAIRS AND GRAB YOUR TRUNK!'

'But mom, it's down he-'

Before Ron could complete his sentence Mrs. Weasley waved her wand and sent all the trunks upstairs, saving Ginny's.

Grumbling Ron turned and stomped up the stairs.

'Now, Ginny, Arnold will shop up, don't-'

'What the…?'

Mr. Weasley hurriedly removed his foot from his boot and pulled out a small curled up ball. It was a hot pink color with a mottled bit of violet worked through it. Ginny lit right up and let out a squeal, 'Ohhh Daddy! You found him!'

At this moment the other three entered the room, Hermione pulling on a wind breaker while holding Crookshanks, followed by Ron who struggled with her trunk, along with his. Harry was smiling and pulling his own. Once everyone was at the base of the stairs and about ready to head out to the ministry car Mr. Weasley opened his mouth to say something when a loud –CRACK- was heard, and suddenly the house began to instantly flood with water.

Sighing Mr. Weasley shook his head and pulled out his wand, 'Drytio!'

Instantly the floor dried up and the sound of water running through the pipes could be heard once again. Turning around after pocketing his wand Mr. Weasley opened the door. Instantly, and amid a couple giggles a small gnome ran in through the door, and almost as quickly Crookshanks leapt out of Hermione's arms to chase the large headed pest.

Mr. Weasley gave a weak smile and said, 'Maybe I won't have to do anything on this one.'

Not even a second after he finished speaking the gnome was running for the door screaming. Crookshanks, satisfied that he had protected his mistress jumped back up into Hermione's arms. Scratching him between the ears Hermione crooned to him softly as Mr. Weasley opened the door.

'All right everyone; let's get going before anything else happens.'

'Arthur Weasley?' This query came from a man in a black suit.

'Yes, are there any problems?'

'Yes sir, our car seems unable to start. And since we are on private property we are required t ask permission to perform any magic of any sort.'

Mr. Weasley's face brightened and he said, 'Really? Well I'd love to see how an ungen works, so maybe we could take it apart and put it back together manual-'

From behind him Mrs. Weasley gave a little, 'Eh hem.'

His excited smile dimmed immediately and he shaking his head he said in a regretful voice, 'But we have things to do places to be. I guess that can wait for another day.' Walking over to the car Mr. Weasley lifted his wand out for the, hopefully, last time that day, 'Startijio.'

Beaming as the car purred back to life Mr. Weasley said, 'Alright, everyone put your things into the boot of the car, and then we're off.'

At these words another catastrophe was created as four trunks were trying to simultaneously cram themselves into the boot. Harry backed off instantly; letting the other three turf it out.

Mr. Weasley pulled Harry to the side and said, 'Look Harry. Many people may not agree with me telling you this.'

'Don't worry Mr. Weasley, I wouldn't tell a soul.' Harry looked at him with dark, somber green eyes

Looking at him closely for a moment Mr. Weasley said, 'Well….Dumbledore, you see, he doesn't always know exactly what's right for people. So, if you feel like things are just getting to be too much, you can always write me and Molly, and we'll come and get you instantly.'

Harry slid back on his smiling mask and said, 'Don't worry Mr. Weasley, I'll let you know if anything's wrong.'

In the back of his mind though, Harry knew he would try and keep as many people out of his problems as possible. And at that moment Harry noticed that the other three trunks had managed to finally get into the boot. Lifting his up into the boot he slid in to sit in-between Ginny and Ron.

Taking one last look at the burrow he let out a smile as Ginny said, 'Dad! I think I left my-'

Ginny was quickly cut off however when Mr. Weasley gave her a look that said_, 'Please. No more.'_

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

BUZZZZZzzzzz……..BUZZZZZzzzzzzz……….BUZZZZZZzzzzzz…..BANG!

A long fingered hand slammed down onto the alarm clock and a form moved under the down comforter. A grumbling was coming from under the covers and it soon laid still, the hand retracting to the warm depths of the bed.

Lifting the blanket off of the blonde shaggy haired head a grumbling voice said, 'It's too blasted early to be getting up.'

Looking at the clock silver eyes glared daggers at the green glowing lights that read '7:33'. Moaning again the blonde turned his head to look at the small silver ball curled up next to him, smiling he stroked it softly and said, 'Come on Bitz, I'm up, time for a shower.'

From the sleek silver coated ball emerged a dainty muzzle with cat like ears. It's blue eyes blinked at Draco and it began to hum softly.

'I don't care if you're tired. I'm too tired myself. Come on, we need to shower so we can get to the train station. It leaves at 9:00 you know. And we must make sure to get a compartment to ourselves and our fellow Slytherin pals.'

The small silver ball uncurled and it stood up on four legs, arching its back, much like a cat, the difference was the unusual coloring and the deceiving look of fragility.

Sliding out of his bed Draco padded to his bathroom and turned on the spray to his shower full blast, he hoped it would steam away all of his memories when he stepped in. Turning to Bitz he smiled and said, 'What exactly should I be wearing today? We must keep up appearances mustn't we?'

Walking over to his closet Draco looked down with a smirk as Bitz swatted at shirt.

'Ok….the grey silk shirt……and……'

Bitz walked over to his dresser and tugged on a pair of pants.

'…Some faded blue jeans? Good choice, because then I have comfort and style, but to offset the faded look of the jeans I must wear a belt. Black leather should be good right Bitz?'

Bits let out a pleased hum and then jumped from the dresser; walking over to him she put her paws on his leg and begged to be picked up.

'Yes, yes, time for our shower.'

Picking her up Draco walked over to his shower. Slipping out of his pajama bottoms and then under the spray of the shower head he sighed gently and lowered Bitz to the floor. Running around his feet she nearly tripped him. Smiling at his pets antics Draco took care of washing both of their hair.

Once all of the showering was done he rinsed out his conditioner with cool water, wincing and shivering at the temperature change.

Quickly turning off the water he pulled out a large fluffy towel and quickly dried off the dew drops on his creamed skin. Picking up Bitz he quickly towel dried her while she wiggled playfully.

Once done with the showering he turned to his mirror and sighed as Bitz pushed over his gel; he truly hated putting the gunk in his hair, he much rather enjoyed leaving it down and free of all of it. But he had to keep up appearances.

Grimacing as he dumped a large dollop of gel into the palm of his hand he worked it through his hair, plastering it back to his head. Smiling at Bitz he pulled her closer and then with the extra gel on his fingers teased her hair along her back into spikes. Laughing as she turned to the mirror and gave a warningly low note, smoothing back her hair he looked back at his reflection. Sneering into the mirror he said, 'Hello Potter.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'Mum, let him breathe will you? He's gonna be with us so you know he'll be just fine.'

Finally being released from Mrs. Weasley's iron clad arms Harry took a breath and smiled at the beloved woman, 'I promise I'll be good.'

Looking on the verge of tears Mrs. Weasley then pulled Ron, then Ginny, then Hermione into tight hugs. 'I want all four of you to write me everyday. Make sure to keep your things clean, and I want you all to promise NOT TO GO LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.'

Harry smiled reassuringly at her and said, 'Never. I would never go looking for trouble.'

Turning and stepping onto the train he said under his breath to Ron, 'Trouble just always seems to have a tendency of finding me.'

Laughing Ron turned around to heave his trunk up. As his was already on, and Ron was completing this task he was about to move his own trunk out of the way to make room for Ron's, when he caught a flash of something silver on the train tracks. Wanting to have a closer look and feeling that something, that he was sure held great beauty, shouldn't be destroyed so stupidly he jumped out to pick it up.

Just as his hand reached out to pluck it off the railway tie, his fingers just closing about it, the train jumped forward and almost crushed his fingers. He heard a scream behind him, but not wanting to miss the train he hurriedly jumped back up and then turned around to wave good bye to the Weasleys.

Looking, Harry was surprised to see Mr. Weasley struggling with the large body of Mrs. Weasley.

'Harry.'

Harry looked up to Mr. Weasley's eyes as he called out while the train began to pick up speed and leave the station.

'For Merlin's sake, try to be a bit more careful at school, if you're not, she's liable to have a heart attack.'

Smiling Harry waved good bye to the still struggling man. Smiling at thoughts of how the man could possibly deal with the situation of his collapsed wife.

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	9. Long Time No See

Chapter 8

Draco put his head back against the plush seating. His head pounded with the makings of a headache. Feeling a light weight in his lap he looked down to see Bitz looking up at him, her head cocked slightly to the side. Smiling at how cute she looked he said, 'Hey gorgeous, ready for the trip?'

Getting a small hum in response he smiled and scratched behind her silky ears. Looking at the collar that he had gotten her years ago he marveled at how clean it was, even though she was usually getting into trouble with him. Smiling he fingered it in a loving caress.

_Bitz Malfoy  
__Companion to Amièe and Draco Malfoy_

Saddened at the remembrance of his younger sister he dug in his carry on satchel to find their family picture. Like most wizarding photo graphs the people in the photos moved and interacted with one another.

He smiled sadly as a younger self and his sister hugged and gave big goofy grins to the camera, he was missing a tooth on his bottom and she was missing her two front teeth. His parents stood in one another's arms behind the two young children, looking on with pride and contentment shining through their eyes.

Tracing the outlines he shook his head and put the photo back into his satchel carefully. It was one of his most prized possessions; he didn't know what he would do if anything happened to it.

Stroking Bitz again he felt the headache come back full force. Pondering at how the photo had made him momentarily forget his pain he was startled when the door to his compartment opened.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Emerald eyes followed the intricate etchings of the silver settings of the amulet, but they quickly moved onto the strange center. It appeared to be some drop shaped gem or orb that swirled the separate colors of silver, emerald green, and a pale, baby blue. Almost lost in the swirling of the colors he gave a quick shake of his head and then flipped it over, hoping for some explanation of some sort. Looking at it he could only see strangely blurred words that he guessed at saying _'Rewop Eput Uftne Serp Tsap'_.

Wondering at it he thought maybe it could be someone's idea of a gag gift, but then he quickly discarded the idea as he looked at the beautiful swirling mist. Maybe it was something written in parstle tongue? No, he would have been able to understand it.  
Maybe…

But he wasn't able to complete the thought as he was jolted out of his musings by the elbow of a copper haired teen.

'Sorry mate. It's really crowded with all these trunks right at the opening.'

Harry quickly pocketed the amulet, feeling it was something that he should keep to himself; something that he needed to protect more than anything else.

'No problem Ron. Come one, we better go find a compartment for us and the girls.'

Ron stared at his toes and scuffing one against the carpeted floor mumbled, 'Ummm….me…..'Mione….'

Coming up to the two were Ginny and Hermione. Ginny was laughing and Hermione bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. Seeing Ron and Hermione she waved her hand and pulled Ginny forward. Reaching the boys the two girls stopped.

'Harry, Ron, you guys have to hear this. We were walking down the train right, and we go to open the bathroom door, inside…haha…inside Neville was apparently changing into his school robes…haha…and….haha…Hermione turns to him and says-'

Interrupting Ginny, Hermione, red faced, said to Ron, 'Come on, Dumbledore needs all head of houses, head boys and girls, and prefects to the front of the train.'

Harry put up his smiling mask and said, 'So you guys are heads now? Good job.'

While Ginny was looking at Hermione incredously Ron looked at Harry with a guilty and questioning glance.

'Come on Ron. You guys were Prefects and I didn't mind. Now go, you can't keep the rest waiting.' Harry inwardly let out a small growl of anger, were had they been when he was trying to save people from Voldemort?

Ginny lowered her gaze dismissively and Hermione and Ron walked briskly towards the front of the train. Ginny then looked up at Harry with a weary smile and watery eyes.

Harry looked at her, and not wanting to have to deal with a crying female said, 'Come on, let's go find a compartment.'

Ginny gave a nod of acknowledgment and followed him down the hall of doors. Behind most he heard the tell tale laughter of friends meeting up again after a summer of separation. Coming up to one he couldn't hear anything.

'This one seems empty.' Harry inwardly applauded himself on finding an empty compartment. He pulled back the door while smiling at Ginny.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Pansey shook her head and said, 'No, I beat you two. Unlike your trivial relation visits, and grounding from broomstick I…' sniffling back a tear she continued on, '…I finally gave into Isaiah's want of sex…' sniffle '…and then he dumped me!'

Instantly Crabbe patted her knee and Goyle touched her arm reassuringly.

'I'll kill him.'

'Don't worry Panse, we're here for you.'

Draco looked at his three friends and said in a dead calm voice, 'I win.'

All three of his friends looked at him, Pansey with watery eyes, Goyle with his brown ones, and Crabbe with his own moss green ones.

'What are you talking about Draco?' Pansy managed to get it out between large gulps of air.

Draco looked her in the eyes and said, 'My mum's parent's came. Apparently my mom used to keep in really good contact with Gran, then when I was born in slowed down, and she slowly began to get worse and worse at keeping in touch with Gran. But then it all stopped. Gran said she was worried, and so after a couple years had decided that even if mum didn't want to talk to her, it was still her right to see her grandson. I had to make excuses for a whole week for my parents' absence.'

Crabbe said, 'Why didn't you just tell her they were dead?'

Draco stared at him and said, 'Because my Gran would die. Only thing keeping her alive is thinking that she wants to see the whole family together once I have my own children. She would de if she knew my mum was gone.'

Pansey pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. Draco stroked Bitz who was curled up on his lap. At that moment the door to their compartment slid open and several things happened at once.

Pansey stretched out and made herself look sexy, like her and Draco were having a moment. Crabbe's and Goyle's eyes took on a dull gleam of stupidity. And Draco was happy to notice that Bitz disappeared, visually at least.

Looking to see who had interrupted Draco's eyes narrowed.

'Hello Potter.'

Harry looked at Draco and said, 'Hello Malfoy.'

Ginny's eyes lost their tearful look and now shone with hatred, 'Malfoy, go stick that pointed head of yours up your-'

'My, my Weasel; it looks like you aren't really a lady after all. I mean, ladies aren't supposed to talk or act vulgar.' Pansey said this in an acidly sweet voice.

Ginny glared at her and said, 'Well, then I guess that can count you out.'

Harry pushed Ginny behind him before she could say anything else. He didn't want anything happening that could make matters worse between the houses than they already were.

'Sorry Malfoy, we didn't know this compartment was taken. We'll leave you to it.' Harry tried to quickly close the compartment door before anything else happened.

Pansey gave a sharp laugh and said, 'Yeah, and this time wait until I'm through with him will you?'

But Harry hadn't heard her words; he was too intent on getting out of there.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Ginny punched the cushion again, 'I can't believe them! They have the gall…the nerve!'

Harry smiled weakly at Ginny's frustration. She would soon wear herself out, and then he would be stuck having to deal with an awkward silence as she realized he was there.

'I mean, that slut Pansey had the nerve to call me unlady like!'

Harry smirked at the point she made, not wanting to speak up that appearances were often different from the actual goings on. But he didn't have to say anything as the compartment door was slid open and Hermione and Ron walked in. Hermione flopped into the seat beside Ginny and rested her head on the red heads shoulder. Ron dropped onto the seat beside Harry.

Hermione lifted her head from Ginny's shoulder as she felt the younger girl's tense form, 'What's the matter?'

'Malfoy.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco pondered the situation. Harry had left without a parting remark. He had left without any mean slandering of Draco or anything. Confusing himself Draco tried to figure out why he was so curious about Harry right then. He knew that Harry hadn't succeeded in the battle against Voldemort that had taken place that summer, but would Harry seriously give up over something like that? The fierce savior had lost all his fight because he had lost a battle. The wizarding world was in trouble if that was true, and for his own reasons, Draco needed to figure out how to get the old Harry back.

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	10. Straggling

Chapter 9

Looking out the rain spattered window, Harry noticed the sky darkening quickly. He figured they only had a short while before the train would pull up at Hogwarts. Only a few more short minutes before he had to deal with the prying eyes of those he had let down; those whose families had died fighting for him. Once again he heard the screaming voices.

'…Help me Harry…'  
'…I die for my family…'  
'…No! Stop the pain!...'  
'…Mommy! Mommy!...'  
'…I'm bleeding….'  
'…I feel so…cold…'  
'…Tell mommy I love her…'  
'HAHAhahaha…see what you have done, Harry? All these people died believing in you! All of them followed you blindly to their deaths! It's all your fault!'

Ron looked over at Harry and was worried by the glassy, blank look in his friend's eyes. Standing up, he walked over and gently shook Harry's shoulder. 'Mate…are you alright?'

Harry turned his head and blinked up at Ron, as if seeing him for the first time, and yet, not really seeing him.

'I'm fine. Just a little…tired.'

Ron was still worried for his friend but sat back down helplessly. He'd never seen Harry like this before. Usually Harry was always smiling and joking. He always seemed happy. Happy Harry. Ron mused silently to himself at how he used to silently envy Harry, mock him even. But in the fourth year, when the Hungarian Horntail had looked like she'd almost had Harry, well, Ron had quickly felt a twinge of some unknown emotion in his stomach. Now, whenever he looked at Harry he felt a fluttering in his stomach, and his palms got sweaty, and his heart beat would race.

Ginny looked over at the two silent boys. Looking to Hermione, she silently begged her to break the disconcerting quiet that lay thickly in the cabin.

'Hey, I have an idea. Since we should be arriving at Hogwarts soon, maybe we should all change into our robes. Ginny and I can go change in the girls' bathroom and you two can stay here.'

Hermione stood up, pulling Ginny with her, and slid open the compartment door. Harry and Ron had seemed to snap out of their silent reveries when Hermione had spoke. Harry looked at Ron with a raised eyebrow.

'Those two really seemed to hit it off this summer. I guess Ginny just likes having a girl to hang out with instead of all us boys, and Hermione seemed to get kind of mad about something when she first came over.' Scratching his head Ron said in a soft questioning voice, 'I'm not sure about exactly what though.'

Harry gave a soft smile and stood up. Reaching into the luggage storage, he grabbed his book satchel and pulled out his robe. As he had reached up, his shirt had ridden up fairly high, showing off some tanned, toned skin, flawed by one of his many bruises. Quickly bringing his shirt back down, Harry was glad that Ron hadn't seen the large contusion that had started just above his rib cage. Ron, however, seemed to be busy rummaging around in his trunk. In his head Ron cursed himself for feeling a twinge of excitement when he had seen Harry's exposed side.

Standing back up Ron said, 'So mate, What sort of things are we going to do this year? Have you got any new suspicions or clues that may lead to a new mystery that we could try to solve?'

Harry looked at Ron with an apologetic smile and gave a small shrug, 'Sorry, nothing.'

In the back of his mind Harry corrected himself, 'Nothing you want to share with him anyway.'

Pulling his robe over his head, Harry straightened it out so that he didn't look like a complete frump. Turning he smiled at the form of Ron struggling with his gangly legs to pull his robe over his head. Putting his hand in his pants pocket Harry felt the amulet. Deciding now was the time to put it on, he pulled it out of his pants and quickly did up the catch, sliding it under his robes. While he did so he made a mental note to cast a concealing charm so that nobody would notice it as anything questionable in the showers.

Feeling eyes on him, Harry glanced up to see Ron staring at his amulet with a puzzled look on his face.

'What's that Harry?'

'Oh, it's just….' Harry tried to think hurriedly; he didn't feel like telling Ron the truth right now. '…It's just a…present, from Mrs. Figgs.'

Ron looked at Harry and shook his head. Breaking out into a grin, he said through small snickers, 'I think the old bat may be going soft on you, Harry.'

Harry gave small lopsided smile and said, 'Yeah, but why she thinks I need a silver cross, I don't know.'

Harry mentally gave himself a pat on the back, but hurriedly felt his luck plummet as Ron looked at him with furrowed eyebrows and opened his mouth to ask him yet another question.

But at that moment Hermione and Ginny both stepped back into the compartment. Ron looked over outraged and said, 'What if I'd been naked!'

Ginny sneered at him. 'Then poor Harry here would be blind.'

Hermione bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing as Ron gave her a hard glare. Ginny looked at him and said, 'Besides, we came to tell you two to hurry up. There is only about 5 more minutes until we pull in at Hogwarts.'

Ron looked at Ginny and said, 'How do you know that?'

Ginny looked at him disbelievingly and said, 'Besides the fact I've made this trip about 6 times now, Hermione and I went to ask the conducter.'

Hermione nodded her head with a smile and Ron mumbled something under his breath. Harry smiled at his friends and sat back down; it would be a long 5 minutes now that Ron was mad.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco stroked Bitz's silky hair behind her ears as he stared at the rain splattered windows that separated them from the thrashing storm outside.

'Draco, it would probably be best if you didn't pet Bitz while we're in our school robes. I mean, if she sheds you're going to have to do some explaining, and that could get awkward.'

Draco smiled up at Pansy and said, 'Not to worry Panse, Bitz has never shed. So I have no need to worry about her leaving a mark on me that I would have to explain away.'

Pansy looked at Bitz with a raised eyebrow and asked to no one in particular, '….What are you?...'

Draco smiled and said in a slow, teasing voice, 'She's a Meeval, Panse.'

Pansy looked up at him and blushed, her cheeks going slightly pink. Crabbe and Goyle let out barks of laughter.

Draco looked over at Crabbe and Goyle and thought about how hard the two must have it at school. They had to purposely act dumb in order to keep the other school houses blind as to their total abilities.

Crabbe caught Draco staring and said, 'What? Does the weight I lost show that much?'

Draco shook his head and said, 'No, your muscles hide the fact. I mean, besides that, we could always pad you out to look bigger.'

Crabbe gave a sneering, 'Hardy har har. That was so funny I forgot to laugh.'

Draco smiled and said in barely concealed laughter, 'oh, but you did laugh.'

At that they all fell into laughter, Crabbe included. Interrupting their laughter the loud whistle, announcing that the train would be stopping at Hogwarts in 1 minute, sounded out, and cut their laughter short. Draco heard other students hurriedly doing their last minute preparations.

'Looks like we must get back to our roles as the hated Slytherins. Ugh, how this disgusts me.'

Pansy lightly touched Draco's arm and said, 'Yes, but it can be fun at times.'

Draco stroked Bitz once more time before saying, 'Come on girl, back into the satchel.'

Bitz let out a soft, mournful whine at Draco's words and gazed up at him with saddened eyes. Draco let out a large breath and said, 'Alright, you can stay in my pocket, but you must remain invisible.'

Bitz hummed excitedly at the victory and then licked Draco's nose with her small tongue. Draco smiled at her and then gently laid her in his robe pocket.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked at his three friends and said, 'You three should go first. I've got to pick something up from the front anyway.'

Hermione looked at Harry questioningly before Ginny took her hand and said, 'Come on, we can meet up with him in the Great Hall. I mean, he has to sit at the same table as us.'

Hermione nodded her head and followed Ginny out into the throng of surging students. Ron turned to Harry and said, 'See you in a bit, mate.'

Harry waved good bye to Ron and then sat down, waiting until he felt that there was sure to be no one else on the train. Standing up he walked to the door while fiddeling with the amulet around his neck.

'Why don't you watch where you're going, Potter?'

Harry looked up to see Draco and was sure that he had seen a puff of silver disappear. Shaking himself mentally he said, 'Hello, Malfoy.'

Draco sneered and said, 'A lot of things have changed Potter, yourself included.'

Once he was finished speaking, Draco walked away from Harry, leaving him to ponder what all had changed. What was Draco referring to? And he felt slightly frightened that Draco had noticed a change in him.

Remembering that he had to be going, he quickly jumped out of the train and walked over to the carriage that seemed to be waiting for him. Inside he was surprised to see Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom kissing. Neville blushed as soon as he noticed Harry catching them locking lips.

'H-hello Harry. Uhm….thought we were the last carriage.'

Harry smiled at the two and said, 'Yeah, you were, and I was the last one on the train. Sorry for interrupting, but I need a ride up to the school.'

Luna smiled dreamily at him and said in her faraway voice, 'Yeah, Neville and I were just kissing. You don't mind if we continue, do you Harry?'

Not even waiting for an answer Luna turned back to Neville and began to kiss him again. And even though Neville may have been slightly embarrassed by Harry watching, it wasn't enough to stop him from kissing her back.

Harry smiled, glad that there was still some who were happy. Tuning out the groping and kissing of the two across from him, Harry turned back to thinking about Malfoy. What had changed?

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	11. Sorting

Chapter 10

As the carriage rolled to a stop, Harry jumped out of the carriage and patted the black Thestrel on the nose before heading up the front steps. Behind him he could hear Neville gently murmuring back and forth with Luna. Smiling silently at the two friends he walked through the front doors.

'Haha, the tin man can't find his soup can head!'

Harry looked over to see the originator of the voice wearing a metal helmet on his round head. Looking below him Harry saw a suit of armor clanging about while searching for its head.

Sighing Harry said, 'Peeves I like your new look, I guess we should all get you some gel for your birthday, you know, to combat the helmet hair.'

Peeves looked at Harry and said, 'Ohhhh, wee Potty made a funny.'

Harry smiled up at him and said, 'Yeah, I guess you're right there Helmet Head.'

Peeves took off the metal helmet and threw it at Harry in anger. Catching it, Harry absorbed the shock with his stomach. Walking over to the suit of armor, he placed the helmet on its shoulders. In return the helmet bowed gratefully and walked off down some stairs where, Harry was sure, it resided beside the potions classroom.

Peeves swooped down after Harry and began to pelt him with dung bombs. Harry simply ignored this as he walked into the Great Hall.

The Bloody Baron saw Peeves and called out, 'Peeves, get to the astronomy tower!'

Harry's lips twitched as Peeve hurriedly zipped away to, Harry assumed, destroy Professor Trelawney's astronomy class room. Harry turned and sat between Hermione and Ron, Ginny on Hermione's other side.

'So, what did I miss?'

Harry tried to ignore the open mouthed gaping of the younger students as his friends said, 'Dumbledore doesn't seem to have found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor yet.'

Harry had felt a rush of anger rise up as Ron said the Headmaster's name.

Hermione added, 'But I suppose we'll all see whoever it is soon enough.'

Ginny was looking up at the head table, and her brow furrowed in concentration. 'Doesn't Dumbledore look excited to you guys?'

Ron turned to his sister astonished and said, 'Blimey, how can you tell the difference?'

Ginny kept her eyes trained on the head table though and said in a soft voice, 'I wonder what he has got planned.'

Harry tried to avoid thinking about Dumbledore, because if he did, he would be reminded of the last time he saw the old man and the circumstances under which they'd been.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco sat between Pansy and Blaise Zambini, Pansy's hand on his thigh possessively, and Blaise was chatting on about his summer.

'Yeah, my mum took us all to Canada to visit our Uncle John. They must have some pretty nasty winters, because I swear, my uncle has got a frostbitten brain.'

Pansy giggled and said, 'That's too funny. I was stuck here all summer, lounging around by our back lake.'

Draco flashed his tradmark smirk; his friends were really good at putting up façades. He knew, because they were with him continuously, and he's seen both sides. Looking from his table, he looked at the unmistakable messy locks of Harry Potter. He noticed that the fellow teen was sitting with his usual group, Granger, and the two Weasleys.

Sighing, Draco interrupted his friend's and said in a bored voice, 'When will they get the sorting over with? I'm starved.'

Pansy looked at him and said, 'Poor Drakey.'

Draco inwardly laughed at the poor joke that she had insinuated there; when he was younger his mother used to say he screamed like a Mandrake root, giving him the nickname Drakey. But at that moment the side door opened and the new students were lead in. Draco noticed that most of them were in large towels that hid them from the other students.

Harry looked up as soon as the new students entered. His amulet had heated up on his chest. But there was nothing he could see, besides Hagrid's massive body placing the sorting hat on the stool. Confused, Harry shook his head and then turned his attention to the hat itself.

The hat looked old and as if it would fall apart at any moment; there was a large gash across the front of it. Harry smiled as he recognized the mouth. But the sorting hat and its mouth remained still until Hagrid stepped back amongst the students yet to be sorted.

'Through the years they've come and gone,

And after school they'll carry on.

But here soon, that will all end,

As many will lose a great friend.

But here I must say,

Although houses must stay,

They must be separated no more

Into the houses, for

We will never have peace

Until ALL fighting shall cease.

But until your last year

You must be with friends dear.

So I shall sort you now

And here is how:

Gryffindors are adventurous and bold,

Ravenclaws have knowlegde of old,

Hufflepuffs are very caring,

Slytherins are known as daring.

Now you all know how it works,

In your brain I will lurk

To find thoughts you are hoarding.

With this I shall begin my sorting.'

There was a great silence once the hat fell silent, and then there grew a rumble of whisperings as students turned to their friends to wonder at what the hat was talking about. How could they be separated, yet remain with friends dear? And the houses, what would happen to them?

Amidst all the whispering Dumbledore stood up until the hall once again fell silent, 'I have an announcement to make. As of this year, there shall be a new table. At this table, from whichever house they may have originated in, we shall have the seventh years sitting. This has been done to hopefully put an end to the house fights. So if all those in the seventh year could please move to the new table.'

As Dumbledore waved his hand, a fifth table appeared. This one was set out with silver cutlery instead of gold, and the table cloth was a mint green. Harry sighed and stood up, Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors stood up as soon as Harry did.

Walking over to the table, they were about to sit down together when Dumbledore said, 'How silly of me, I forgot to mention that all of you shall be given assigned seating this first month. You understand, simply to break the ice.'

At his words there was some out cries of protest. But Harry simply looked about and finally spotted his name at the one end close to the sorting hat. Moving to sit he put his satchel under his chair and watched the rest of everyone find their seats.

'Ugh. Sitting next to Potter is just plain torture. Who could ever think of being this cruel?'

Harry looked up to see Draco sneering at him. Sighing Harry said, 'Might as well make the best of it. We're stuck for a month.'

Looking around, Harry decided to find out who his other neighbors were. On the card beside him was the name 'Elizzabeth Dael.' Looking to Draco, Harry asked in a confused voice, 'Was there a Slytherin named Elizzabeth?'

Draco looked at him as if he had just sprouted a second head, 'No.' there was a pause as Draco fought with his self about talking to Harry, but eventually his curiosity got the best of him, 'Why?'

Harry said, 'Because, I'm seated next to an Elizzabeth Dael.'

Draco perked up and said, 'Well, at least I may have an intelligent person to speak with.'

Harry stared at him and then shook his head. Noticing that everyone seemed to be seated he looked at the place setting for Elizzabeth Dael confused, and then turned to look at Dumbledore.

'Well, now that we are all situated at our tables I do believe we have some new students to be sorted. Amongst the first years, we also have two new students who will be gracing us with their presence. They come all the way from Canada.'

At Dumbledore's quietly spoken words the whole hall remained silent and turned to watch the sorting take place. Dumbledore took out a large roll of parchment and called out, 'Ainsley, Davinia.'

A small girl with black hair walked up to the stool. As the sorting hat was put on top of her head, her violet eyes peered out fearfully at the other students.

'RAVENCLAW!'

Smiling the girl took off the hat and placed it on the stool as the Ravenclaw table burst into cheers and clapping.

'Bullsworth, Tyrel…SLYTHERIN!'

At the new addition to Slytherin Draco clapped delicately and said, 'Good to see we get some fresh blood.'

'Brain, Amelia…RAVENCLAW!'

'Chretien, Sandra…HUFFLEPUFF!'

Harry suddenly felt the amulet around is neck burn red hot, causing him to curse and grab at the collar of his robes. Draco looked over at him with a scornful frown on his face.

'Dael, Amy…'

Draco's head shot around to look up at the sound of the girl's name. Who wouldn't, after all, it was almost the same name as his long gone sister. Draco subconsciously looked her over. She had platinum blonde hair; his sister had had platinum blonde hair. She seemed slender and delicate; his sister would have had the potential of such a figure, from their mother of course. She looked like she couldn't be much younger than Draco; his sister was only two years younger.

Harry had looked up as well when the girl's name had been called out, at first he was hit with the strong resemblance between her and Draco, the second thing he was hit with was the fact that her eyes were the exact same color as the blue mist swirling in his amulet.

But both boys remembered her last name; it hadn't been Malfoy, it had been Dael.

'…SLYTHERIN!'

Draco's and Harry's eyes stayed on the girl. And since they were doing so they hadn't noticed when Dumbledore had stood up. Clapping his hands he said, 'Amièe is one of our new students from Canada. And as such I hope that the rest in her year will help her out with the schools many passages, classes, and professors. Saying that she shall be placed in with the fifth years.'

The girl took off the hat and placed it delicately on the stool, walking towards the Slytherin table she was heralded with cheers and hollers of welcome.

'Dael, Elizzabeth…'

A Girl with flaxen gold hair walked up to the stool. Looking out at the seventh year table she then turned to Dumbledore. Dumbledore shook his head at her and she placed the hat on her head.

'…SLYTHERIN!'

After the hat and yelled out the house name Dumbledore stood up again, 'Elizzabeth here is our other new student. She is Amièe's older sister. I have allowed Elizzabeth here to see which house she would have been sorted into, but she shall be seated with the rest of the seventh years.'

Up the table from him he heard Hermione saying softly, 'The house she would have been sorted into? But shee is being sorted into a house? What has he got up his sleeve?'

Once Dumbledore finished speaking, he waved Eizzabeth on to go sit down. Harry watched her as she came closer; she had obviously noticed the free chair beside Harry. Looking at the place card with her name, she sat down and gave out a soft sigh.

Turning to look at Harry and Draco she said in a accented voice, 'Hey, my name's Lizz. I guess you should have all heard I'm new. So…ummmm…do you mind if I kind of hung out with you guys until I get to know some more people?'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'Nice to meet you Elizzabeth, I'd enjoy it if you could hang out with me and my friends. My name's-'

But before Harry could finish, Draco, who was staring at Elizzabeth with a strange emotion in his eyes, cut him off, 'Yeah, nice to meet you. You can hang out with me and my friends no problem. My name's Draco Malfoy by the way.'

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**Hi, yeah, I know, I threatened not to give it to you until I got another review, but I mean. I really like this story too, so I"m going to continue posting.  
Once again I have to tell everybody about my wonderful beta, she is ever so good to me. And I think you should all send in some reviews about what an awesome job she did with thechapter so I can pass them on.**


	12. Fight

Chapter 11

After Dumbledore had finished speaking, he waved an arm and the previously empty golden, and in the one table's case silver, plates filled with food and drink. Down the table Ron and Hermione had finally spotted Harry, and the fact he was seated next to Draco hadn't escaped their attention either.

Ron scowled at Draco while shoving some mashed potatoes in his mouth. Harry sighed; it seemed, even with Dumbledore's new table, there would still be animosity between the houses. But all thoughts at the table were interrupted when a spoonful of green peas went flying from Harry's end to bounce off the face of the glowering Ron.

For a second the table fell silent. Everyone craning their heads to see who had thrown the green peas at Ron; had it been Draco?

Beside Harry a nervously smiling Elizzabeth said, 'Sorry, slippery little devils.'

At her words Harry and Draco, the latter having previously been smirking at Ron, began to fall into laughter. Seeing the two great rivals laughing Ron's face was that of one struck dumb. Harry seen his friend's face and this only made him laugh harder. Soon others at the table began to laugh as well.

SPLAT!

Harry stopped laughing and wiped the creamed corn from his face. Dead silence fell over the table except from the person sitting next to Harry, Draco Malfoy. Smirking at Draco, Harry merely brought his hand up behind the Slytherin's head and forced said Slytherin's face into his plate of gravy-covered mashed potatoes.

As Draco's head came up, with a new mask of gooey brown potatoes, he hissed in a warning voice, 'Potter...'

But it seemed that the few spoonfuls of food had started a food fight that was now raging throughout the whole of the Great Hall. Large masses of food were flying through the air, through a spoon or spell it didn't matter, hitting students continuously.

But back at the seventh year's table, as Draco's sentence trailed off into a silent threat, a smiling Harry Potter had stuck a baby carrot onto the end of Draco's nose.

Draco snarled, threw the carrot at Harry, and then wiped off his face on a napkin.

At this point Dumbledore stood up and waited until complete silence had fallen throughout the hall.

'…And so you see, she should have thanked me for cutting up that god awful dress. I mean, who looks good in a purple puff with yellow polka dots and ribbon? And with her brown hair-'

Her friend beside her quietly said, 'Pansy, shut up.'

As the girl finally stopped talking Dumbledore gave a beaming smile and said, 'Now that our belly's are full, and we're all ready for bed, I feel I should give some last minute announcements.'

Harry looked up at this, usually the last announcements before they were sent off to be held some importance as to some danger they may be faced with that year.

'As you may have guessed by now, things will be quite different with the houses and classes. All seventh years will be sharing the same courses, depending, of course, on their time tables. These time tables will be handed out to all students tomorrow, along with any extra knowledge the staff feels you should receive.'

A bit of murmuring began as the seventh year students wondered over what else the aged Headmaster had up his sleeve.

'Now, if all tables could please retreat to their houses. Seventh years to your original houses as well, please. thank you. Good night, and don't let the bed bugs bite.'

At the headmaster's dismissive words, the five tables began to file out of the Great Hall. Elizzabeth, Draco, and Harry, strode towards the open doors together. It wasn't for want, more out of the fact that all three of them were headed that way.

At this point Hermione came up and wrapped her arms around Elizzabeth, stopping the three from continuing on.

'Oh Lizz, we're going to have so much fun now that you're here.'

Smiling, Elizzabeth got to talking to Hermione, but when it looked like Draco was about to walk away, she interrupted herself and grabbed his arm, '…wait, you have to show me where the Slytherin common room is.'

Draco sighed and gave a brief bob of his head, acknowledging that he would wait for her.

'But yeah, I just think that Black Eyed Peas are truly phunkalicious.'

Hermione laughed and said, 'What about Green Day? They're pretty awesome.'

As the girl's talked Harry smiled at Draco, Draco looked perturbed at how easily, since she was new, he had to wait and listen to the girls chatter away. Harry smirked as he thought to himself that the male Slytherin may have some punishment coming up. And the way Elizzabeth's next sentence changed the subject he nearly laughed.

'Yeah, I like them, but my boyfriend back in Canada didn't like them all that much.'

Hermione's eyes sparkled and she said, 'You have a boyfriend?'

'Yeah, and he's totally sweet. What about your boyfriend?'

When Hermione didn't say anything Elizzabeth's eyes twinkled and she asked, 'Or is it a girlfriend?'

Hermione's face turned crimson from blushing.

Elizzabeth laughed and said, 'Fine, keep your secrets, but I will figure them out eventually.'

Draco's face looked like he was about to be sick. Obviously he didn't want to know about Hermione's love life

Hermione, trying to speak through her blush said, 'At the sorting they said you had a sister. How come you never told me you had a sister?'

At Hermione's words, Draco suddenly seemed a lot more into the conversation

Elizzabeth's smile grew and her eyes twinkled as she said, 'I never told you about Amy?'

Hermione shook her head, her blush receding slightly, 'No.'

Draco seemed to have his ears perked up, and Harry was quite interested as to why.

'Well. Amy is two years younger than me. She was sorted into Slytherin with me….Her birthday is July 16. And she is really quiet.'

Hermione smiled and said, 'Hopefully you'll introduce us in time.'

But as Elizzabeth was about to open her mouth to reply Ron, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy made their way over to the group of four.

Draco sneered and said, 'Took you three long enough.'

Pansy hung herself off of Draco's arm and smiled at him with adoration in her eyes, 'Oh Drakey, you know we would never abandon you.'

Crabbe and Goyle, however, had taken up positions on either side of Draco and stared dumbly at the Gryffindors and Elizzabeth.

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'Hey, are you three in Slytherin too?'

Pansy smiled and, releasing Draco, pulled Elizzabeth into a hug, 'Oh finally, a girl!'

Ron snorted and said, 'What Pansy? Draco isn't girly enough for you?'

Crabbe and Goyle, feeling that Draco had been offended cracked their knuckles ominously, and Pansy snarled, 'Watch it Gryffindork.'

Draco smirked and said, 'Be careful about who you try and take your anger out on, Weasel.'

Ron snarled and said, 'Don't worry; a ferret like yourself isn't that important to my life, Malfoy.'

At the word 'ferret' Crabbe had lunged forward and pinned Ron against the wall of the Great Hall.

Hermione screamed and said, 'Put him down!' Her fists pounding on Crabbe's back uselessly.

Pansy smirked and said, 'Looks like Granger's afraid for her boyfrien-Ack!'

Hermione had just tackled Pansy and was at the moment wrestling with her on the floor.

Around the fighting a circle of students had stopped and stood watching. There was also quite a bit of cheering and making bets on who would win going on.

'…Odds for Granger are 10:1, odds for Parkinson are 2:1. Any bets? Any takers?...'  
'…get her Pansy! Show how we Slytherins can dominate the weak Gryffindors!...'

Elizzabeth watched and said to Harry and Draco, 'Looks like this school will be a lot of fun.'

At this point Harry heard an oily voice say, 'Well, well, what do we have here?'

Harry's head turned to look at the source of the voice, 'Weasley, and Granger, please do disentangle yourselves from my students.'

Hermione pushed Pansy off of her and then stood up, the sleeve of her robe hanging on by a thread. Ron kicked Crabbe in the nuts, who as a result, slid down the wall.

'Now, who started this quarrel?'

Hermione opened her mouth to explain what had happened when Draco's smooth voice cut in, 'Sir, it was all Weasley's fault. He insulted Pansy.'

Ron opened his mouth to make a comment when Harry cut in and said, 'It's true sir. Ron did insult Pansy.'

Ron turned to Harry, hurt written across his face. Snape too had turned to look at Harry, slight shock written upon his face from Harry's confession.

'Well, 20 points from Gryffindor, and each person involved in this quarrel shall have a detention.'

A voice from behind Snape said, 'Good call Professor Snape.'

Turning around Snape glared at Lupin,' Thank you Professor Lupin.' Turning back to the students he said, 'Now, as I was saying. Potter, Granger, Weasley. You three shall report to detention tomorrow night.'

Ron burst out, 'But Professor, Harry didn't do anything!'

Snape glared at Ron and said, 'Precisely Mr. Weasley. Potter here should have intervened instead of allowing the fighting to go on.'

Remus Lupin behind him smiled and said, 'And Mr. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Ms. Parkinson shall also report to detention tomorrow.'

Snape snarled and then turned to the rest of the students that had formed the circle, 'Unless anyone else would like to join these six students in detention tomorrow, I would advise you to get to your common rooms.'

Snape then stormed away and Draco turned to Elizzabeth, 'Come. I'll introduce you to everybody else.'

Elizzabeth gave a small hug to Hermione and then said, 'I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast Harry. Maybe we'll even have some classes together.'

At this Elizzabeth followed Draco as he led her to the dungeons.

'Bloody prat,' Ron snarled as he watched Draco leave.

xxxxXXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry tiredly climbed out of his pants and into his pajama bottoms. Seamus and Dean were in the corner snogging, and Neville was already asleep in his bed while Ron went on about how unfair it was that they had lost house points when Draco had started it.

Harry sighed and said, 'Ron, give it a rest. Tomorrow's another day and we have our detentions tomorrow night. So please, let me get some sleep.'

Ron grumbled for a few more minutes before Harry heard his even breathing, telling him that his red headed friend had fallen asleep. Turning over in his bed, he closed his own eyes, and tried to drop off to sleep. Because, like he'd told Ron, tomorrow they had classes and detentions on top of that and he needed as much rest as possible in order to make it through the next day.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Pansy moaned and held the cold cloth to her eye, 'Why did that stupid bitch have to scratch! Why couldn't she just punch?'

Elizzabeth smiled at Pansy and said, 'I think Hermione's paid too much attention to her books to worry about fighting.'

Crabbe snorted and said, 'That's for sure.'

Draco was too lost in his own thoughts to worry about what the others were talking about.

'I mean, I'm going to have to use a concealment charm on this until I can get Madam Pomfrey to heal it.'

'Don't worry Pansy, it doesn't look too bad.'

Pansy took the cloth off and showed the cut to Elizzabeth, 'How bad does it look?'

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'Trust me; I've had worse from just fooling around with Amy.'

Draco looked up as he heard the name.

'Yeah, speak of the devil, there she is now. I guess I better go make sure she's all settled and everything.'

Draco watched as Elizzabeth walked over to the smaller girl. Although they both had blonde hair he had to wonder why Elizzabeth's was more of a honey blonde, while her sister's was platinum blonde.

'Drakey, what do you think I should wear to detention tomorrow?'

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**Sorry about any confusion with switching this post, but this here is the actual beta post. Thanking her, so much.  
I'm srry for any inconvenience.**


	13. Morning

Chapter 12

Harry moaned as his alarm went off, a sound for which he was immediately pelted with several different pillows. Slowly sitting up in his bed, he turned off the buzzing alarm and scratched his head sleepily, emitting a long, tired yawn.

'Hey Harry, mind passing back my pillow? I'm still a bit tired,' a low voice enquired, slow and heavy from slumber.

Harry laughed and replied, 'Sorry Seamus, but it's your own fault,' briefly pausing before throwing one of the pillows at the tired boy with as much force as it had been sent to him only moments prior.

Harry smirked as he walked into the boy's showers to the muffled groans of his fellow seventh years who wanted nothing more than to sleep a few more hours uninterrupted. Turning on the shower head, he let it accumulate a good bit of steam while he got all his bathroom toys together.

Stepping under the hot jet of water he let out a small, throaty moan at the perfect, waking water pouring over him. He fumbled with his shampoo, conditioner, and soap, until he was completely lathered and then thoroughly clean, refreshed and awake.

Smiling he began to sing,

'Sleepy head get out of bed  
Big bad world is calling  
Step in your shoes and catch the news  
It's another morning.

'Morning,  
Its morning  
Morning,  
It's morning again.

'Rub your eyes as nature sighs  
The population's yawning  
Just step in your shoes there's so much to do  
It's a brand new morning…'

At the door Ron clapped his hands and, yawning, muttered, 'Great soooooooong, and everything, but the rest oooooof us neeeeeeeeeed to shower too.'

Harry looked to his friend and allowed a sheepish smile, 'Sorry, figured you all went back to sleep.'

Ron laughed and walked into another shower stall, 'What, and miss Draco after yesterday? No way.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'You know. I don't think I'm quite used to the time change yet. I'll have to talk to a professor or something about that.'

Draco looked at Elizzabeth and smiled, 'Yeah, but you still look gorgeous.'

Smiling, Elizzabeth looked herself over, Draco doing the same. She'd put her hair up into a messy bun, strands of hair falling artfully out of it, and she'd settled on a white halter top and stone washed hip-huggers.

Draco smiled and said, 'You look like these girl's I've heard about.'

'Californian's?' asked Elizzabeth, smile growing.

Nodding his head Draco laughed, 'Yeah.'

Elizzabeth laughed with him, explaining, 'I was a Californian. And I loved it there. All the beaches and palm trees,' she paused to sigh at the mere memory of her once home, 'It was just too beautiful.'

Draco nodded his head in acknowledgement, and walking into the Great Hall he engaged in light conversation with her as they went to the new Seventh Year table.

'Morning Harry.'

Draco looked up to see the boy whom Elizzabeth was greeting. The dark haired teen in question had on clothes that were hugely different from the large, baggy clothes he used to wear all the time. In fact, compared to those clothes, these were would be considered a miraculous fashion breakthrough! Certainly a welcome change.

Draco let his eyes rove over Harry, taking in his baggy carpenter pants that rested on his hips, and his tight black t-shirt that read 'Needs Parental Supervision' in thick red scrawl across the bust. Smirking at the bold statement, he couldn't help but notice the way the shirt was stretched taut over Harry's toned chest.

'What's the matter, Malfoy? Are my clothes still not up to your standards?'

Harry couldn't help but say something after catching the Malfoy child staring at him.

'At least they're an improvement on your usual attire, Potter. Now I'll at least be able to keep my breakfast down.'

Elizzabeth seated herself on Harry's other side, and asked with a tinge of exasperation, 'Why can't you two get along?'

Harry and Draco turned to look at Elizzabeth with incredulousness, both boys rendered silent in slight amazement before Draco stated, slowly as if stating the obvious to a small child, 'Because we've never like each other.'

Elizzabeth simply shook her head and began to load her plate with some bacon and scrambled eggs, 'And so just because it's been this way between you for years you won't allow for the chance to change?'

Harry's mouth was full with porridge at that moment so he looked up to see Draco's response, 'You have a point, but just because it's a new year doesn't mean that everybody is a new person.'

Elizzabeth nodded in consideration, 'Point taken. But, for my sake, could you two please just be nice to each other in the morning? It's terribly unpleasant to have a headache when it's only breakfast.'

After Elizzabeth's request the two resigned from any bickering and settled their attention towards their food-laden plates, resuming conversation only when Elizzabeth asked, 'So, we get our time tables once we're done eating?'

'Yeah, and there might also be extra reminders and such-'

Before he could finish, Harry was interrupted by a great swoop of owls flying into the Great hall. Lizz looked up and called through the flapping of wings, 'What is going on?'

Draco smiled as he opened a letter, 'It's the post. We always receive our mail in the mornings.'

Elizzabeth gazed around her at the many different students receiving mail, her face brightening.

'Harry, Draco, look! There's Amy!'

Draco's head whipped around to look at the girl, but her face was turned away from the three, talking to a boy on her left. Harry looked up, as well, to see the girl in question, and again he was struck by the close resemblance between her and Draco.

'Oh well, I'll talk to her tonight.'

Once the three had turned back to their plates to continue eating several puffs of silver smoke appeared all along the table. Harry reached and picked up a small little pile of papers that had appeared at his place setting, Elizzabeth and Draco doing the same.

'Oh look, I have Charms with a Professor Flitwick, then Potions with Professor Snape, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, And Defense Against the Dark Arts with a Professor Lupin,' Elizzabeth read, finger following the words along the page.

Draco smirked and Harry smiled, replying in unison, 'I have the same.'

Harry glanced at Draco and then quickly picked up a second piece of parchment at the look of angered annoyance Draco threw at him. As he read the parchment, Harry's brows drew together and he asked in a confused voice, 'Did you two get a sleeping schedule as well?'

Draco sneered and said, 'Potter, what a stupid question-'

'Yeah, I do,' interrupted Elizzabeth, 'it says that next week we're to be sleeping in a Seventh Year Dormitory.'

Draco inclined his head to look at Lizz , then shuffled through his own papers until he found his own sleeping schedule, 'What the bloody hell?'

Harry's eyes ravelled up to the head table to stare straight at the headmaster in realisation, 'This is what he was talking about last night when he spoke of other changes to come.'

Draco snarled, eyes joining Harry's focus on the old man, and said, 'The old coot is just trying to make my life worse than it already is, isn't he!'

Although it was more of a statement than a question, Elizzabeth answered nonetheless, 'No, I don't think so. Otherwise it would just be you and Harry having new sleeping arrangements.'

Harry smirked and ducked his head as Draco cried, 'What! Are you implying I'm a bloody pouf!'

Elizzabeth sniggered, ''Pouf?' You guys say 'pouf'? We just say 'gay'.'

Clearly amused, but seeing the look on Draco's face, Elizzabeth clarified, 'No, I wasn't implying that. But you have to admit, I mean, if you hate Harry so much, he'd be the worst room mate you could have. Am I wrong?'

Draco sneered at his plate and said, 'No, you're not.'

Wanting out of the strange turn of conversation Harry spoke up, 'We only have 10 minutes to classes begin, we better get going.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

In Charms that day Professor Flitwick had had the seventh years review the Giddy charm. But unfortunately Professor Snape didn't accept that as a valid excuse as Hermione giggled when he walked through the door.

'Ms. Granger. What exactly do you find so humorous?'

Hermione's eyes spoke fear as her lips failed to conceal another giggle, 'Nothing P-Professor.'

'Then, if there is no reason for your impertinence, 10 points from Gryffindor.'

At this Harry rose to his feet, and in a defiant tone cried, 'Professor, that's not fair! Professor Flitwick had us doing the Giddy charm last class and Hermione's effects have yet to wear off!'

'Ten more points from Gryffindor. I will have no outbreaks in this classroom,' snarled the professor, lips curled into a sneer.

Draco had been looking upon the scene with pity for the Gryffindor's, but when Harry caught his eyes he quickly transformed this look into one of his patented sneers, effectively making Harry turn back around.

'Now, today we shall concocting a potion that will determine if you should be in this advanced class of potions or not. Take out your books and complete the Glory potion on page 327.'

A flurry could be heard through the dungeon class room as every student flipped through their book to find page 327.

Hermione's hand flew into the air as she spoke, 'But Professor, we haven't ever worked with Phoenix feathers before.'

'Ms. Granger, hold your tongue until you are called upon,' snapped Snape, turning back to his papers.

Harry slowly rose his hand while leafing through his own potion book, waiting permission to speak.

'Yes Mr. Potter? What is it now?'

'Professor, why would we be concocting a Glory potion - a ministry level potion- when we haven't even learned the proper way to prepare the Phoenix feathers for a potion?'

Sneering Snape said, 'Mr. Potter, I hope you aren't planning on simply sliding through this course as I will not tolerate anything below an 85.'

Harry sighed and replied, 'No sir, I'd never dream of it. But I can't seem to remember how to prepare a Phoenix feather. Would you be so kind as to remedy my blatant stupidity on this?'

Across the room, although his face showed no inkling of it, Draco was surprised that Harry Potter, the one that usually ended up with a detention after Potions, had backed down from Snape.

'You know, I'm really glad Harry asked, because I have no idea how to prepare a Phoenix feather either,' whispered Elizzabeth as she blew a strand of hair out of her face.

'Mr. Potter, 10 points from Gryffindor. And, so we aren't all blown up by your mistake, I shall go over how to prepare a Phoenix feather,' Snape drawled as he rose to his feet, 'To prepare a Phoenix feather you must firstly wipe it off with a soft cloth, then you slice it up the centre and cut it into one inch sections. Is that all?'

Harry nodded his head in affirmation, 'Thank you sir.'

As the class went on the potions steadily progressed. The end result was supposed to be a healthy golden colour, and right now Seamus' cauldron had a bubbling, tar-like substance.

'Seamus, you're not supposed to add that much gillywig. Here, just add a few more drops of dragon tears and that should offset it.'

Although Harry spoke quietly to the boy beside him, Draco had heard him from the table to the right.

'Harry, your potion looks great, it only needs a few more minutes to get to its rightful gold and you'll have gotten 100 on it,' Hermione whispered in excitement, her eyes shining proudly, but although she'd seen his Glory potion near completion, she had turned around before seeing him add a few extra salamander legs. Once the salamander legs had been added the potion turned into a muted orange colour.

Draco, unsure of why Potter would deliberately ruin his potion turned back to his own, noticing it was in the final stage of gold. Pouring some of his Glory potion into a phial he stopped it with a cork, and labelled it with his and the potions name.

Arriving at Snape's desk, Draco heard someone shuffle up behind him. As Snape looked over his potion he said, 'Very well done Malfoy. After I see the effects of the potion I shall grade it completely, but I would expect nothing less than a 95.'

Locking eyes with his head of house, Draco smirked, 'Thank you Sir.'

Turning to go back to his seat to clean up the rest of his area, he noticed it had been Harry who had shuffled up behind him. Stepping down, he walked to his table and listened to Snape as the professor projected his voice for all to hear.

'Well, well, Potter. It looks as though you have added too many salamander legs to your potion. I wonder then, if I should possibly test it on you and see if you suffer any side effects?'

Snickers from the Slytherins sounded as their Head of House tormented the Gryffindor in front of him. But instead of Harry biting back with a witty comment he merely responded with, 'If you wish sir, I could do it now and then report any effects to you after the rest of my classes are finished.'

Glowering, Snape knew he either had to back down and let it be known through the school he had been outdone by Harry Potter, or to actually make the student drink his own concoction.

Deciding the latter was the better choice, as the student could be healed but his reputation would be forever scared, he said, 'Well Potter, make sure you write everything you experience down. I don't want an incomplete report.'

Draco looked on astonished as Harry uncorked his faint orange potion and then shot it back as if it were nothing. Finishing, Harry licked his lips saying, 'Thank you sir, I was a bit thirsty.'

As Harry sat back down, his friend Ron turned to him and hissed, 'Are you alright mate? That was bloody brilliant, but now I expect you'll be getting horrible effects.'

Smiling weakly at his red-headed friend, Harry said, 'Ron, relax. I'll be fine.'

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**Hi, I revamped this one because severa people cought on to a large mistake I'd made, but thanks to Tattooed-On-My-Memory for sending me the part that needed to be revamped.**


	14. Thimbelina

Chapter 13

Harry looked in front of him and tried to listen to Professor McGonagall talk about how in their NEWTS that year they would be expected to be able to turn themselves into a thimble.

'But Professor, what's a thimble?'

'Seamus Finnegan, if you have a question I would advise you to raise your hand and not simply blurt out, or we may have chaos on our hands.'

Seamus put his hand in the air and Professor McGonagall asked him as if nothing had just transpired, 'Yes?'

'Professor, what exactly is a thimble?'

Beside him Harry had just conjured a thimble out of thin air, Draco's eyebrows rose as he saw this. Looking around, he was stunned to see that no one else had noticed.

'Mr. Finnegan, a thimble is a muggle contraption that has been around for several years. It was used mostly for sewing, so that a lady would not prick her finger as often.' Waving her wand Professor McGonagall also conjured a small thimble and showed it to the class.

'Bloody Hell! We're supposed to be able to transfigure ourselves into something as small as that!'

McGonagall's head snapped around to the owner of the voice, 'Mr. Weasley, would you be as kind as to keep your profanity to yourself?'

Ron bent his head and mumbled something that sounded along the lines of 'Sorry'.

Draco turned his eyes back around to Harry and looked at the thimble. He hadn't transfigured anything, but simply made it appear. They hadn't learned that yet.

'Wow, he is good isn't he?'

Draco looked to see Elizzabeth sitting right beside him; she had obviously seen the thimble as well. But Harry looked around and caught her staring at the thimble, quickly he gave a wave of his wand and it disappeared.

Draco looked at Elizzabeth and said, 'Can you not be subtle about something?'

Elizzabeth looked at him shocked and said, 'Wow, aren't we mister cheerful?'

But Draco wasn't listening; he was looking back over to where Harry was. Beside Harry, Ron, brow furrowed, was trying to prod a toad into changing into a tooth pick. Harry wasn't even touching his.

McGonagall came up to the boys and said, 'Ronald Weasley, you'll poke that frog's eyes out if you're not careful.'

Harry sniggered at his friend and then McGonagall swung around on him, 'Mr. Potter. I take it you can change your frog there and back, otherwise why would you be doing nothing?'

Draco waited, this would be the perfect time for Potter to say he was feeling unwell do to the potion back in Snape's class.

Smiling at the older woman Harry took out his wand and pointed it at his frog, instantly the thing was turned into a deli tooth pick, the blue plastic on the end and everything.

Smiling, Professor McGonagall said, 'Well done Harry. How is it you managed on the first try?'

Shrugging his shoulders, Harry said, 'Just lucky I guess.'

Draco was wide eyed and felt someone prop up his jaw, 'You'll catch flies with that thing open.'

Smirking, Elizzabeth turned back to her own frog, turning it into a mint toothpick.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'Harry, you have to tell me how you did that? I mean, did you see Malfoy's face!'

Harry thought on his red haired friend's words, Malfoy had seemed surprised, and a bit curious. At least, that's what he thought, but Ron seemed to think it was anger.

'I mean, his face was just so pale, I mean, paler than normal. And his eyes were just so glassy, you could tell he was mad that you out performed him.' Stopping for a second the red head said, 'Blimey, it was the potion wasn't it? I mean, from what Hermione said, it may not have been the exact potion Snape wanted you to make, but it was the potion wasn't it?'

Knowing that he had to try and calm his friend down, Harry looked at Ron and said slowly,' you know, I think you're right. I mean, I've never gotten anything on the first try before.'

Ron laughed and said, 'Come on, I want to see who the new Defense Professor is.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco sat down and looked up at Professor Lupin with the Malfoy snarl in place. It would never do for Voldemort's followers to hear that he had done anything less; after all things always had a way of spilling out.

Looking up, he noticed the golden trio walk in, Hermione prattling on about something that sounded like a recital of 'Hogwarts a History'.

'…Honestly, how many times do I have to tell you two that you can't apparate inside Hogwarts walls-'

''Mione, its ok. We were just kidding around. After all, who wants to apparate into Professor Dumbledore's study simply to see what he has on file about you? He'd probably how loads of jinxes and wards put up.'

Ron sighed and said, 'But it is too bad, it would have been nice to see the dirt he has on me.'

Draco smirked; he'd already managed to look at his file. In fact, he had stolen it and then replaced a new version that had been altered.

Sitting down, the golden trio looked up and Hermione said, 'Oh look, its Professor Lupin!'

Harry looked over and smiled at the instructor, and beloved friend. Giving a wave, he sat down and took out some supplies for the class.

After several more minutes, Professor Lupin closed the door and said, 'Now, all those who are here shall be taking this course, and those who are either late, or skipping shall not be allowed in. But before you become too comfy with the seats you have chosen, and I notice that they are all with old housemates, I shall be splitting you into pairs.'

The older man smiled as the class let out a collective groan.

'Now, now, I feel that after a while you shall all feel like one big family. And Professor Dumbledore feels that this will also help you along to becoming much closer friends.'

Draco's eyes were pinned on the Professor; he was hoping that if he concentrated hard enough the man's head might blow up.

'Now, let me see…Gregory Goyle and Ronald Weasley….Vincent Crabbe and Elizzabeth Dael….Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson….Blaise Zabini and Neville Longbottom….Harry Potter and…'

Draco held his breath, if he was to be stuck with a Gryffindor he'd rather it be the one he knew wouldn't blow him up, then one of the others that he knew could quite possibly do it on accident.

'…Draco Malfoy.'

Draco let out a groan and looked over at Harry, 'If you so much as misplace one hair on my head you'll be sorry, Potter.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked up from being on his knees, he was sure they were bloodied, and looked into the cool silver eyes.

'Very good Mr. Malfoy. You were very quick to respond to Harry's hex, but you could have used a less….shall we say….harsh deflection charm.'

Draco turned away and got ready for his turn to be knocked down; he felt sure that Harry would try and get him back for that last one. Harry stood up slowly and Draco was surprised to see the red patches on his knees quickly disappear.

'Alright then Harry? Good, now it's your turn to deflect Draco's hex of choice.'

Draco thought hard about it, the best hex to use on Potter without getting expelled. He had to keep up the image of a heartless Slytherin.

Seeing Harry looking at him he quickly yelled, 'Familia Imagene!'

Harry quickly put up his wand and seemed to absorb the spell. His eyes staring straight into Draco's. Suddenly Draco could hear a voice in his head.

'Dirty trick Malfoy.'

'Potter?'

'Who else?'

'Get out of my head!'

'I will, soon enough.'

Draco used as much energy as he could and visualized pushing the voice out of a small door at the back of his head. When next he looked up he caught Harry looking at him with a white face.

Sneering at the Boy-Who-Lived he said, 'Nice catch Potter.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry sat in his red leather chair, staring into the flames of the common room. He hadn't meant to see into Malfoy's mind, he hadn't meant to see the blond Slytherin's thoughts or his memories. But now, he couldn't forget it.

'Urgh, I can't believe we're getting detention for something Malfoy started.'

Harry sighed and looked to his friend, 'Mate, it wasn't his fault.'

Ron looked at him and said in a disbelieving voice, 'Harry, you're not actually suggesting that Malfoy was innocent on this are you?'

Harry closed his eyes and rested his head back on the warmed leather, 'I'm only saying tat you weren't completely innocent on this, either.'

Ron looked at Harry disbelievingly and said, 'I don't know you.'

Standing up, the red head walked away. Sighing in frustration, and anger, Harry ran a hand through his hair. Why did everything have to end up being his fault? First it was Cedric's death, then Mr. Weasley had been bitten by Harry the snake, he had killed Sirius, but the worst thing of all, was that he had lost The War. The one meant to end all.

'Shove off it. You're not important enough to be blamed for all of that. You just need to find some sort of diversion to calm you down.'

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**My beta is back again, and doing wonderful work with this chapter.  
I have to give a huge thanks to those who reviewed, their names will appear on the list in my user look up, and I will try and reply.  
If you want the next chapter, you better review.**


	15. Detention

Chapter 14

Hermione walked over to Harry and shook his shoulder, 'Come on Harry, we better get to detention before Snape gives us another nights worth.'

Stretching, Harry stood up out of his chair and said, 'Is it that time already?'

'Yeah, Ron left a couple minutes ago in a bit of a huff. I don't know what you said Harry-'

'Don't worry about it, 'Mione. I'm sure we'll get past it soon enough. We always do in the end.'

Harry smiled comfortingly at his friend while walking to the portrait hole.

'Yeah, you're right.'

Smirking, Harry gave a forced laugh and said, 'What do you think Snape will have us doing?'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'Now that we're all here I'll be handing out your projects.'

Ron snarled over at the Slytherins, the Slytherins kept cool, expressionless masks on. Harry looked from his best mate to the subject of his snarling. Looking at Draco he could have sworn he'd seen an unknown emotion skitter across the blonde's face.

'Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Potter shall be doing clean up duty in the Great Hall. Granger and Weasley shall be working on another flood in the girl's bathroom. Better known to most as, ahem, 'Moaning Myrtle's' bathroom. In about two hour's time I shall come and check to see how far you have gotten on your given tasks.'

Hermione looked up at the Professor and said, 'Sir, would it not be better for the houses to be kept separate of one another?'

Snape sneered down at her and said, 'Ms. Granger, the Head Master and myself have our own reasons for what we see fit to do. Is that all?'

Seven separate heads nodded in acceptance of the given orders.

'Should we expect the supplies to be there, sir? Or should we expect to conjure our own supplies as needed?'

The other students looked to Harry questioningly, some even with admiration for a clear head to have asked such a question.

Snape raised an eyebrow and said, 'Well Potter, I would normally have the students conjure their supplies, but with you and your friend Weasley involved I would rather have the rest of the school kept out of harm's way. So the supplies shall be supplied, if you will.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco looked into the room and raised a disgusted lip into a curl as he surveyed the Great Hall.

'Well, this should be fun.'

Pansy looked over at the dark haired boy to Draco's right and said in a voice filled with disgust, 'Maybe to you Potter, but I am not used to having to clean up after the filth of others.'

Draco looked to her and gave a curt shake of her head. Looking to the leader of the group, she gave a quizzical gaze that he shook off.

Harry looked to the four Slytherins and, sighing, said, 'Look, I know we'll never be close friends, but for tonight could we at least lose the snide comments.'

Draco stood silent for a second, looking the dark haired beauty over. What could he be thinking in that head? Was he actually asking for this, or just putting up pretenses to save his Golden Boy reputation? Meanwhile the other three looked to him for his judgment.

'Alright Pot-Harry. We'll play nice, but only for tonight.'

Harry nodded his head in acceptance and then walked over to where a pile of supplies was, 'I think I'll start on scraping the gum from under the tables.'

Soon the four Slytherins were also working on cleaning up the Great Hall. Crabbe and Goyle were sliding back and forth across the floor with broom brushes strapped to their feet. Pansy was cleaning the top of tables, using much the same technique as the other two, but instead of brushes using cloths. Draco settled himself down to help Harry in scraping off the tables, choosing to start with Ravenclaw table while Harry worked on Hufflepuff.

As the five students worked, a silence fell over them, a stiff and awkward silence that made chills run up and down Draco's arms. Before he could say something to ease the tension, a singing could be heard.

'Why, you wanna tell me how to live my life?  
Who are you to tell me if it's black or white?  
Mama, can you hear me? Try to understand.  
Is innocence the difference between a boy and man?  
My daddy lived the lie, it's just the price that he paid.  
Sacrificed his life, just slavin' away…'

The four Slytherins stopped what they were doing and looked at one another over the top of the tables. When all four seen that it was none of them singing they turned towards the Hufflepuff table. Draco stood up and walked over, wanting a respite from the disgusting amounts of gum he found glued to the bottom of the tables.

'…Ohhh, if there's one thing I hang onto,  
It gets me through the night.  
I ain't gonna do what I don't want to,  
I'm gonna live my life.  
Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice,  
Standing on the ledge, show the wind how to fly.  
When the world gets in my face,  
I say, Have a nice day.  
Have a nice day…'

Smiling at each other, the four others nodded their heads and joined their songs to merge with his. Each adding to the marvel that was the song.

'…Take a look around you, look it's what he sees.  
We're living in a broken home of hopes and dreams,  
Let me be the first to shake a helping hand.  
Everybody, pray enough to take a stand,  
I knocked on every door, on every dead end street,  
Looking for forgiveness,  
What's left to believe?...'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Ron silently thought to himself while mopping the floor of the girl's lavatory.

How could he think I'd started it? I mean, I was just looking out for him, the way that blonde was walking beside him was just an introduction to a snide dig. And after everything Malfoy's done to him he'd still pick that prat's side over mine? Doesn't he still want me as a friend? I mean, I never once stopped wanting him as a friend. Then I'd never be able to laugh with him as his emerald green eyes dance with humor, never see his delicious lips curl into a mocking smile…Good God! I'm in love with my best mate!

'Ron...Ron! RON!'

Startling Ron, he turned to Hermione, blushing furiously at the girl that the whole school figured he'd get together with.

'Ron, will you please help me? We need to actually calm her down so we make some progress with this mopping; otherwise she's just going to keep flooding it.'

'Right…I know the exact thing that would cheer her up. But it's too bad he's with those insufferable, slimy, two faced-'

'Ron!'

'What?'

'Who were you saying would cheer Myrtle up?'

Ron shook his head and said, 'Right, well, Harry-'

From behind the two Gryffindors an excited voice breathed, 'Harry? Where is he? He hasn't come to see me like he'd promised. But they never do.'

Hermione put a hand over Ron's mouth to keep him from snorting or saying something rude, 'Actually Myrtle, we were just saying how sad it was he was down in the Great Hall. But we could probably get him to come up here and visit afterwards.'

Giving a wail, Moaning Myrtle said, 'B-but it's such a mess! He'll never come in with all this water!'

Hermione put on a consoling voice and said in a soothing tone, 'Oh Myrtle, we'll help. We'll mop it all up for you if you'd let us. That way Harry will be surprised when he comes in.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco smiled over at Harry and, laughing, said, 'I can't believe it; out of all the tables, Dumbledore's seat is the one with the most gum stuck under it!'

Smirking, Harry said, 'Of course, he may be old and contain a lot of wisdom, but the man is like a kid when it comes to his food and taste.'

Pansy laughed as she skidded across the top of the table, 'I heard that at one time, the old man's password was 'lemon drop'. Can you imagine? How corny is that?'

Laughing out loud, like he hadn't done forever, Harry said, 'Well, whoever your source is, is bang on. And he's actually refused to use anything besides the many different muggle, and wizard confection names.'

Laughing overly hard, Pansy slipped and almost fell to the ground, but instantly Crabbe had appeared and caught her, 'Easy does it Panse, you need all your bones in order to do dominate the sex scene of Hogwarts.'

Smirking, Pansy got out of his arms and struck several poses, each one hot and seductive, 'Rowr, I'll have the masses clawing to get to my side.'

Harry and the other Slytherin's joined in her laughing, 'Fer sure. And you'll give all the guys their wet dream fantasies.'

Putting a finger in her mouth and twisting another in her hair, she said innocently, 'Now how could I possibly do that?'

The four guys laughed and she threw them a cheeky smile. But a voice called from across the hall, interrupting their moments of camaraderie, 'Harry, hey Harry!'

The Slytherins instantly put on cold masks of disdain and Pansy said in a voice that only the four boys could hear, 'Here comes your little puppy Harry.'

Harry gave a sad smirk as he took in the validity of her statement.

'Hey Harry, we need you to come and do us a huge favor.'

Harry looked up at the breathless red head, 'I thought that you didn't know me?'

Ron looked stunned for a minute before he said, 'That was before, I mean, come on, having to put up with these four was punishment enough, what else-'

Before Ron could finish his sentence, or any of the Slytherins could make a comment Harry stood up and walked briskly over to the red head, 'Look, I don't ever want to hear you saying something like that again. Got it? And as for their company, it wasn't so much a punishment as a reward.'

Ron looked at Harry with open mouthed astonishment; this was the same Harry potter, right? The same one who he had hung out with since the first year. But in that moment Ron noticed a difference in his tall friend. The twinkle of innocence was now gone, along with the slight, scrawny build of the boy. Now before him stood a hardened man who had grown up, grown into his own. Here was a man, who looked like a normal person.

'You see Ronald, unlike you, they don't continually demand my full attention. They don't want me to praise every small thing they accomplish; they can see for themselves that they did a good job and are satisfied.'

Behind Harry the four Slytherins let their amazement show on their faces, but it didn't matter anyway, because Ron was too absorbed in what his best mate was saying.

'You know Ron, I was almost sorted into Slytherin. You know that I am a good person; I have taken everything that has come at me and beaten it. But I have to ask you this, if I was in Slytherin, would you still think of me as the Boy-Who-Lived? Or would I simply be another slimy git, like the rest of those in Slytherin?'

Ron was speechless, his mouth open in the room. Before he came back to his senses the Slytherins came to theirs. Pansy moved over to Ron and shut his chin with one finger, 'Hey copper top, best thing to do once you've been dissed, is to fire back a retort as fast as possible.'

Ron snarled and whirled on Pansy, 'Bimbo pug blonde faced you…'

Harry laughed and said, 'Ron, the second thing to do is to make sure you can understand the retort.'

Amidst the laughter and catcalls Ron stumbled from the room, right into the front of Professor Severus Snape's robes.

'Well, well, I wonder. What are you doing here, Weasley, when I assigned you and Ms. Granger to the flooded bathroom?'

'Sir, we'd finished up, and I assumed that-'

Behind him Harry said, 'You see Weasley, when you assume, it only makes and ass out of you and me. And it gives Gryffindor's a very bad name.'

Snape looked up at the tousle haired boy and gave a glimmer of a smile, 'My. Weasley, two weeks detention for not following explicit orders.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

After Ron had stormed out of the Great Hall, a pair of emerald green eyes caught and focused on the purest of silver.

'I think I'd better go and try to smooth things over.'

Nodding his head in understanding, Draco's eyes flashed with curiosity as he tried to understand this raven haired marvel.

'Why would you do that? I mean, he was in the wrong, all you did, really, was stand up for us.'

Harry looked to Pansy and said in a calm, understanding voice, 'Panse, he may have been in the wrong, but my attacking him like that will only make things worse for us in the long run.'

As Pansy thought over what Harry had said, the three Slytherin males waved off the before stated Gryffindor.

'You know, he may have been put in Gryffindor, but in truth, he's a Slytherin through and through,' Goyle mused quietly.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

A half hour later, after a long talking to from Hermione, Harry finally walked through the door leading to the seventh year, Gryffindor, dormitory.

'Ron?...Ron?...'

BANG

'For Merlin's sake! Who in the world put their trunk in front of the door?'

From Harry's right he heard a groggy Neville, 'That was Ron. Poor bugger was so angry that when he tried to lock you out, he forgot the door opens out and not in.'

Harry rubbed his sore shin, hobbled to his bed and sat down, facing Ron's four poster bed.

'Hey mate.'

When he was greeted by nothing but silence Harry continued on.

'I know I was a but harsh earlier. But, you know, Slytherins are just like Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs. If you call them a name they still hear it. And you and 'Mione both know I was almost in Slytherin-'

'Look, Harry, do you have a point?'

Running a hand through his unruly hair, Harry said,' Yeah, I guess the point is that I'm sorry.'

A shuffling of sheets could be heard and then Ron's voice, muffled by a pillow, said, 'Look, this is our last night before our new sleeping arrangements, and I'm going to need my strength to put up with those Slytherin blokes sharing the same room and showers as me. So for now, could you just shut up and let me sleep?'

Harry sat still on his bed for a second before dropping back into the sheets. He'd fucked up. He'd fucked up real good.

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**Thanks again to my fantabulous beta, please forgive my grammer.  
And I'd like to say, that I'll be writing up chapter 15 as soon as possible, and I need at least two reviews before I post it. So you better review.  
Love you as always, Puissance.**


	16. Partay

Chapter 15

Pansy sat on Draco's bed and watched as the male Slytherins packed up.

'This is gonna be so boring. I mean, the only cool Gryffindor that I know of, is Harry. And it's not like we can just start palling around with him, people would start to get suspicious.'

Draco nodded his head in agreement as he magically packed his trunk to take to the new sleeping quarters that had been arranged for all the Seventh years. Bitz sat on his bed, watching him while she was petted by Pansy.

'Yeah, but think of it this way. The day we get back from these new stupid living quarters, into good ole Slytherin, everyone will want to celebrate with a party.'

Pansy's eyes lit up and she jumped to her feet on his bed, 'Oh, Drakey, just…just…it'll be so much fun!'

As Pansy was screaming excitedly about getting to have a party back in Slytherin, Crabbe and Goyle came in to see what was taking so long.

'Draco, what are you doing in here?'

Jumping down from the bed, her tawny curls dancing behind her, Pansy grabbed Crabbe's hand and began to spin around, 'We're going to have a party. Partay!'

Laughing, Draco looked over to Goyle and they smirked, Draco started the song.

'You show us everything you've got  
You keep on dancin' and the room gets hot  
You drive us wild, we'll drive you crazy  
You say you wanna go for a spin  
The party's just begun, we'll let you in  
You drive us wild, we'll drive you crazy  
You keep on shoutin', you keep on shoutin'….'

Laughing, everybody in the room joined in for the chorus,

'…I wanna rock and roll all nite and party every day  
I wanna rock and roll all nite and party every day  
I wanna rock and roll all nite and party every day  
I wanna rock and roll all nite and party every day…!'

Laughing, the foursome flopped onto Draco's bed and stared at the ceiling; Bitz had quickly gotten out of the way. 'So who's ready to go to the new dormitory?'

In answer to Draco's question no one raised their hand, leading to a barrage of giggles.

'All right, let me rephrase that, who's ready to go bug the snot out of some Gryffindors, while hanging out with Harry Potter?'

At this query, eight hands shot up and an excited hum greeted Draco.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked up from his menial packing to notice that Ron was hurriedly magicking his clothes and possessions into his trunk. Harry also noticed that they were the last two in the room. About to open his mouth to say something Ron beat him to the punch.

'Look, in this new dormitory, I want you to know that I'm sleeping near Seamus, Dean, and Neville. Whether you sleep near us or not is your decision, but I warn you I will not have you insulting me by talking to Draco as if he's some friend.'

Harry glared angrily at Ron and said, 'If that's the case, I'm not so sure I would want to sleep near you anyway. After all, you do snore something horrible.'

Angry again, Ron turned and stormed from the room, his trunk in tow. Sighing, Harry picked up his own trunk and carried it to the new dormitory, having studied, and memorized, the directions there.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'The painting of the angel child is the entrance, and the password is 'Unity'.'

Looking up to see if he'd gotten it right, Draco was happy to note that he hadn't screwed up and had actually gotten there without messing up the directions. Stepping through the portrait hole and into the room, Draco was almost startled into gasping. Instead of any of the house colors being present, everything was in three primary colors, blue, grey, and green.

Walking through the common area, Draco walked towards the boys' dormitory. Walking through he looked up, and Draco smirked his trademark Malfoy smirk. 'Well, well, it looks like the Slytherins are top dogs all the time.'

Up above the level he was on, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise were putting their trunks in front of several beds. Looking closer, Draco noticed that they had chosen to sleep next to Harry. Smiling, he made his own way up the spiraling staircase to the second level.

'Now, what do I have here?'

Smiling, the three Slytherins waved Draco over, and Harry's eyes caught and held Draco's.

'Can you hear me?'

Shocked Draco accidentally dropped his trunk on his toe. Instantly Crabbe had the trunk off the toe and in his massive hands. Passing it to Goyle, Crabbe slanted a questioning gaze at Draco.

Laughing, Draco said, 'You know how weak I am. Can't hold anything.'

Although Crabbe shook his head in his role, his eyes drilled into Draco until the platinum blonde looked away.

'I take it that you can then. I just wanted to see if it was simply the atmosphere in the class, or if it was something more.'

Draco slowly turned his head to look at Harry, only to see the brunette smiling back at him.

'So I take it you guys don't exactly hate me anymore then?'

Draco laughed and said, 'Well, you know, a Slytherin can't hate someone who was almost a Slytherin.'

Nodding his head Harry said, 'Sure, I know that.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry sat back down in the cool leather chair by the fire, sighing as it soothed the hot flesh on his backside. Draco sat on his right and Elizzabeth on his left.

'Alright, I did my dare, and although it hurt my 'already hot arse' as Pansy put it, I did it. Now, Draco, truth or dare.'

Draco smirked at the raven haired boy beside him, 'Dare.' He still had too many secrets that he didn't want Harry knowing quite yet.

Laughing, Harry said, 'Alright, Draco, I dare you, to kiss Pansy.'

Shrugging his shoulders Draco said, 'That's no big-'

Smiling Harry cut him off, 'Let me finish. You have to FRENCH kiss Pansy.'

Draco looked wide eyed at the Gryffindor and said, 'Gross.'

Pansy, on Draco's right, hit him.

'Wait, I meant it's gross because you're more like a sister than a lover.'

Laughing, Harry said, 'Do you take this dare Draco? Or do you want to go for the Truth?'

Sighing Draco turned to Pansy and quickly frenched her.

'There, happy?'

But before Harry could answer Draco, Ron had stepped from behind him and said in a cool voice, 'Harry. After my detention with Professor Snape, Professor Lupin wanted me to ask you if you'd had any trouble from Snape in your detention.'

Looking up at Ron, Harry said, 'Yeah? Thanks for letting me know, if you see him, would you tell him that I was fine. Nothing happened.'

Ron's eyes burned into Harry and he said, 'You can tell him your bloody self. I'm not your bloody messenger boy.'

Shocked Harry started, 'Ron, I didn't mean-'

'But that's the point isn't it Harry? You never meant anything you've ever done. I mean, you didn't mean to get put into the Triwizard Tournament, you just happened to be in it. You never meant for Cedric to die, he was killed by Voldemort. And you never meant for Sirius-'

But before Ron could finish his rant, the pajama clad Slytherins around Harry stood up. Crabbe and Goyle glared at him while Pansy let out a hiss of indignation. Draco sneered at the red head and Elizzabeth spoke.

'You know Ron, Hermione used to write me and tell me how great you were. That you stuck by your friends through anything, that you never had a bad word for anybody except those who deserved it. But since I've been here, all I've seen of you is this small, petty person who is continually trashing Slytherins for no reason, and is almost obsessed over his best friend. I mean, god, Harry isn't your personal property or anything, and I feel that if he wants to do something other than what you want, he should be able to do so without you blaming him for a bunch of ridiculous things he couldn't possibly have done.'

Harry smiled at the scene before him; here were several people who he could now call friends, simply because he had been nice to them instead of the usual cruelty. Ron, however, looked like he'd love to be anywhere but there at that moment. His mouth opened and closed silently like a fish.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry sat on his bed and laughed with the Slytherins.

Goyle wiped at his eyes and managed to get out, 'I mean, the way his mouth just opened and closed, he was so shocked! It reminded me of Professor Snape earlier when you handed in that roll of parchment.'

Harry laughed and then turned to look at Crabbe as he put in his own two bits.

'Nah, the best part of Potions was when Harry told Snape that he'd already done the assignment, and to top it off, had done a foot more than what Snape requested!'

The five boys smiled and drifted back to that afternoon.

ooO FLASHBACK Ooo

Harry walked up to Snape's desk and placed a large roll of parchment on the chipped surface, 'Sir, here's the write up you wanted me to complete.'

Sneering at him, Snape said, 'Potter, if I read this to the class, would it merely be a load of drivel that consisted of your whininess over the pains you suffered as a result of your special Glory potion?'

Looking to him with a blank face Harry said in an equally blank voice, 'I don't know sir. What would you count as whining?'

Standing up, Snape rolled open the parchment, expecting to embarrass Harry and began to read,

'On the day of my consumption of my discolored Glory Potion I feel that nothing extraordinary happened. All I can report is that in Transfiguration, with Professor McGonagall I was somehow able to turn my toad into a deli toothpick upon my first try. And later in my next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin, I was able to deflect a curse with minimal effort…'

Snape looked up angrily and said to the class at large, 'I do believe the Mr. Potter here had missed the main point of his bit of homework. I do believe that two feet on all the magical side effects that could be attained through 'discolored' potions, and what exceeding amounts of which substances causes these results.'

Harry merely sat at his desk and said, 'Professor, if you look further down that roll of parchment you'll notice that I took the liberty of completing that assignment in advance, I just hope you don't mind that I did three feet instead of the two you requested.'

In front of him Snape's eyebrow twitched and he looked as if about to implode. From across the room Harry heard a feminine giggle that hadn't quite been muffled well enough.

'Is there anything else you would have me do sir? For I do so want to make up for my miscalculation in the Glory potion.'

Seeming to come back to himself Snape strode to his desk and said, 'That is all Potter, I will have no suck ups in my class. For I do not hold a place for a teachers pet.'

At this point Ron had been unable to keep from yelling out, 'But sir, everyone knows your soft on the Slytherins, especially Malfoy.'

Turning to look at Ron he said in a menacing voice, 'Weasley, that will be another night of detention with me, I'm afraid.'

ooO END FLASHBACK Ooo

Smiling Harry rolled over on his bed and pulled off his glasses, getting ready to go to sleep.

To his right, Draco was looking at him and said, 'Why do you wear those dratted things when you can correct the problem with a simple spell?'

Blaise turned from crawling into his bed, on Harry's left, and looked expectantly at Harry, eager to hear the answer. Crabbe and Goyle also turned from their own beds to listen.

'Well…I just haven't really thought about it. I mean, sure, maybe I'll get Madame Pomfrey to fix them or something. I just haven't had the time lately, what with detention, and homework, and all that crap.'

Draco smirked and said, 'I'd do it as quick as possible if I was you, I mean, glasses are a pain in the butt. Aren't they?'

When Harry nodded his head Draco continued on, 'Good, I noticed you changed your style, at least, from those old rags you were wearing, but your glasses would be a huge step forward as well.'

Smiling, Harry put his head on his new pillow and breathed in the scent of lemon, feeling all the tension of the day seep out of him he said, 'Sure Draco, and next your going to tell me I could be a teen heart throb that all the girls would clamor over.'

Laughing softly, Draco slid into his own bed and said, 'You're far off on your image of yourself…Potter.'

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**Hi, I have to admit, I don't own the song, it is the property of KISS, lucky bastards.  
And I need to give props to my beta on another job excellently well done.  
And thank you to all those who have reveiwed, it really makes my day. So if you want the next chapter, you better review.**


	17. Friendship

Chapter 16

Harry woke up and felt a soft silk pressed against his cheek. Smiling, he patted the silkiness and was happily, not to mention sleepily, surprised to hear a soft humming. Opening his eyes he blearily looked about him as he reached for his glasses. As he sat up he felt the silkiness move from his cheek to his lap.

Putting his glasses on, he lit a candle to better see what had awoken him. Turning back he felt a startled smile pop into place.

'Well. Good morning sweetness. Who do you belong to? And why are you in my bed?'

Letting out a soft chuckle as the small silver, fox-like pet put its paws on his chest and let out another hum.

'Sorry, but I don't think you belong to me, as much as I would love to own you.'

Picking it up between his two hands, he lifted it so he could look into its eyes. In their depths he saw sorrow, knowledge, and something else that puzzled, and frightened him. Putting it back on the bed he looked to his side to see the clock and said sarcastically, 'Thanks, I really wanted to get up at 8:00 on a Saturday.'

Jumping from his bed, the silver creature darted under his bed. Standing up, Harry knelt to reach for it, not having to explain the reason of why he had someone else's pet under his bed. Reaching out his fingers, he felt them connect with something, he knew it wasn't the small animal, but he pulled it out none the less.

In the picture frame was a smiling family. A tall elegant woman who beamed lovingly up at her aristocratic husband, to the couple's front was a pair of small children. A young boy hugged his younger sister. The girl's smile was missing teeth, and the boy's hair was mussed slightly, but the picture in whole, was one of loving warmth.

Hearing a shuffling behind him Harry didn't turn around, but when he felt that someone was looking over his shoulder he decided it was time to stand up. Turning around he was surprised to see Malfoy looking at him slightly angry. Taking the picture from Harry's hands he said, 'What were you doing in my trunk?'

Harry looked at him surprised and said, 'Malfoy, I wasn't in your trunk, honest. Someone's pet woke me up and then ran under my bed, so when I went to retrieve it I found the picture instead. Are they your cousins or something?'

Malfoy looked at him considering for a moment before he said, 'I guess you could say or something.'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'Don't worry, I wouldn't tell anyone about something you don't want told. It's bad enough when you don't want to remember something, let alone, have others remembering around you.'

Draco opened his mouth as if to say something and then nodded his head, 'You're right. So don't tell. Otherwise there is no way I can even talk to you. You understand.'

Harry nodded his head, he did understand. It was like his summers. He didn't tell people about them, because he didn't want anyone to remember them.

'Well, I think I'm going to go down to breakfast before I wake everyone else up by showering.'

Draco nodded his head, 'I'll join you; and I couldn't get back to sleep if I tried.'

Then smirking, Draco continued, 'Just promise not to push my face into any oatmeal.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'I can't wait until the next Hogsmeade visit. I need to restock on some things.' Draco said before taking a drink of coffee.

Harry laughed and said, 'Join the club. I ran out of everything I bought last year, that is, except for my never erasing eraser. It does nothing, so I never need a new one.'

The two boys laughed and Harry then took a drink of his pumpkin juice while Draco took a bite of bacon.

'So what is your favorite part of Hogsmeade?'

Draco watched Harry to see his facial reaction, along with his worded answer, 'I guess I would have to say….The Three Broomsticks. Rosemerta is always so nice, and I always thought it would be nice to, now don't laugh, just get up and sing on her stage set up she has.'

Draco beamed at Harry and said, 'I'd never laugh at that. But instead of singing at The Three Broomsticks, I'd want to sing someplace where not so many people would know me.'

Harry thought it over and then said slowly, as if still thinking it over, 'I suppose…but it would be great to show those around you that you do have talent, whether or not it is something they'd want.'

Now it was Draco's turn to ponder what Harry had said, 'I guess your right, but I think I'd personally like to be someone else than what people expect me to be.'

Harry smiled in agreement and added, 'That way you can do things that are normally out of character of what people have come to expect from you. Like not giving a fuck about Voldemort, or not worrying about which house a person is in.'

Draco smiled and then added eagerly, 'Getting shit faced in a bar and then making a total ass of yourself.'

Laughing, Harry said, 'Getting shit faced and then kissing Snape!'

The two boys stopped for a moment to shudder and then both broke out into waves of laughter, which were only to be interrupted by a soft feminine voice.

'M-morning.'

Harry managed to calm himself down enough to get out, 'Morning Elizzabeth.'

Waving her hand dismissively Elizzabeth said, 'Please, just call me Lizz. Elizzabeth is for teachers and parents to call a person, not her friends.'

Smiling, Draco said, 'Morning Lizz. How did you sleep last night?'

Elizzabeth moaned good naturedly and said with a smile, 'Lavender Brown was up till 1:00 worrying over whether or not she should wear magenta ribbons in her hair with a hot pink, cashmere sweater. Honestly, the girl has fluff for brains.'

Harry and Draco started laughing again and Draco said, 'Well, in the boys' dormitory, our little milestone was Ronald Weasley's snoring. I swear, I thought it was a train at first.'

Harry laughed and continued on, 'Last night wasn't bad, you should hear when the poor bloke-'

'When the poor bloke what? What were you going to say Harry? Something cutting and witty like, 'you should hear when the poor bloke talks?' or 'you should hear when the poor bloke sings in the shower?' Well. What were you going to say Harry? Spit it out.'

Harry watched as Ron's ears continued to get redder and redder with anger.

'Ron, I was going to say that they should hear when you talk in your sleep. Some of your dreams are quite amusing. Even the next morning when you tell me about a dream I overheard you laugh about it.'

Ron stared at him stone faced and then turned and left the hall.

'That guy's gotta figure out if he's comin' or goin'.'

Although Lizz said it with sincerity and with compassion Harry snorted as he looked to his food and said, 'He needs to figure out whether or not he can trust those around him.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'Look 'Mione, I don't know what happened between us that we aren't the couple everyone expected, but you have to believe me. Harry is dumping us for those Slytherins!'

Hermione looked up from her book and smiled sadly at Ron. Putting her book aside, she walked over to him and put a compassionate hand on his shoulder, 'Ron, Harry is trying to step away from what he is for a bit. He's exploring what it would be like to be someone different. Trust me, he's still our same Harry, he's just trying to make everyone even.'

Ron looked at her as if she'd just said she'd just said that Skrewts were cute, ''Mione, Harry isn't like us anymore. He's turning into another Slytherin. I think we should warn Dumbledore, Draco might have him under the Imperius curse or something.'

Hermione sighed and closed her eyes, 'Ron, Harry isn't under any curse, and Malfoy would never attempt something like that on a fellow student. After all, he, as well as everyone else, knows that Dumbledore would find out, and he would be history.'

Ron grumbled and sank down into a leather chair, 'I swear 'Mione. He isn't like us anymore, it's like he doesn't care about You-Know-Who anymore.'

Growling with frustration, Hermione threw her hands into the air and said, 'I give up! Someone else can deal with you; right now I need to talk to Ginny.'

At these words Hermione stalked from the seventh year common room and left through the portrait hole. Ron stared after her and said, 'And I don't have a thing for Harry either.'

Behind him Ron heard a choking sound. Whirling around quickly he seen Pansy, growling he strode towards her, his fists raised.

'If you ever, ever, tell anyone about what you just heard, I'll kill you.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry, Draco and Elizzabeth made their way from their breakfasts in the Great Hall to the Seventh year dormitory.

'I can't believe you two once were worst enemies!'

Harry and Draco laughed easily, 'Yeah, one time Draco actually landed a good punch on me, Madame Pomfrey had to give me a potion to men my jaw bones back together.'

Draco blushed a bit and countered, 'That was only because you had insulted my mother.'

Harry laughed and said, 'That was Ron. But I had stood between you two.'

Elizzabeth laughed with them and then stopped to say the password to their dormitory, 'Unity.'

Walking through, Harry said, 'What is with that password? They think if we say it every time we come in we'll think of all the houses uniting or-'

But before Harry could finish his train of thought he was interrupted by Crabbe putting a meaty hand on his and Draco's arms.

'Look, you three need to come to the boy's dormitory immediately, no one else.'

Draco and Harry gave curt nods of their heads, showing they understood. Elizzabeth, with wide eyes, whispered, 'What happened?'

Crabbe merely walked forward and said in a tense voice, 'Can't talk about it out here. We have to get away from the rest of these people; we've locked them out of the boys' dormitory for the time being.'

Harry got to the door and said, 'Let us in.'

Blaise opened the door with worried eyes and said, 'Draco, its Panse-'

Before Blaise could finish whatever he had been about to say Draco had pushed past, Harry and Elizzabeth on his heels, Crabbe was closing the doors against anybody else.

Getting to Harry's bed they seen Pansy curled up into a ball, her face stained by tears. Draco was immediately at the bed pulling her to him, Harry rubbing her back.

Draco asked the question first, 'What happened sweetness? Tell me what happened.'

Harry looked on worriedly, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Elizzabeth were standing around the bed, watching with sad eyes as they seen bruises forming on her body.

Pansy sniffled and clung to Draco's shirt, shuddering as she spoke, 'I-I heard R-Ron arguing with Hermione…sniffle…so I went over to s-see what was w-wrong. I h-heard him, he said that h-he didn't have a thing for H-Harry. He turned around and s-saw me, a-and then said h-he'd kill me if I e-ever told…sniffle…then h-he hit me…and…he w-was screaming…sob…and…'

As Pansy trailed off Harry felt a fury in him he'd felt few times before, and the scary part was, he didn't know how he could deal with the anger.

Draco snarled, 'I'll kill him.'

Harry shook his head as he looked over the bruises forming on Pansy's shoulders. They would be dark ones, she'd have to use a concealment charm, and he would do it for her, 'No, he was my friend. I get to kill him.'

Pansy turned her head to look at him and he noticed that one side of her face was all swollen and discolored, 'Harry, he's not worth it.'

Harry touched the unharmed side of her face and said, 'He's not worth it, but to do it for you, you're worth it.'

Smiling sadly up at him she gave Harry a hug, 'You truly are a great Slytherin.'

----------------------------------------------------------  
**Hi, thanks again to my fantabulous beta, she was working on this at 6:00 in the morning! Now that is dedication.  
I have gotten so many reat reviews, but I still need some more to keep me inspired people! I'm working on chapter 17 and 18 right now, so it will take a bit of time to go through the process an get it up on here.  
Love you always. **


	18. Warning

Chapter 17

Harry threw another punch, this time his fist was aimed at the red head's nose. When he heard a satisfying CRUNCH he knew that he had broken the boy's nose. Wiping his hand on his pants, Harry looked at Ron and felt a rivulet of blood finding its way down from his eyebrow. Wiping at it angrily, Harry gave an aggressive growl just before he was tackled by Ron.

Feeling his head connect with the stone floor of the hallway, he winced slightly and then bit back a groan as Ron landed another punch to the side of his jaw. Pushing Ron back and off of him, Harry wiped the blood that was splattered all over his face from Ron's now gushing nose.

'You fucking prick! How could you say that?'

'You're the one who's hanging out with those fucking poufs of Slytherins!'

Harry threw himself forward only to ricochet off of some invisible wall. As Ron laughed, Harry looked about for the creator of the wall.

'Potter and Weasley, 10 points from Gryffindor for each of you. I want to see you both in my office.'

As Professor McGonagall spoke, she removed the wards to allow the boys to follow her. Her back was stiff and many of the students who had gathered to watch quickly scurried away.

Harry dusted off the seat of his pants and followed behind the female Professor, scowling at Ron as he did so. But Ron was staring at McGonagall's back, refusing to look at Harry.

Once in her office McGonagall whirled on them, 'I would expect this of first years, but when you reach your seventh, not to mention your final, year at Hogwarts, I expect a lot more from you. Both of you will serve a detention with me, and depending on your behavior in the upcoming weeks you might find yourself quickly on a train headed for home.'

Harry's head snapped up; he had no intention of ever heading back to the Dursleys. And in order to avoid going back he needed his NEWT's in order to get a position in the wizarding world. Ron's face had paled and Harry could only imagine what was going through the other Gryffindor's head. Harry himself was hit with the hilarious image of a howler screaming with Mrs. Weasley's voice.

Ron managed to gulp past a lump and said, 'Yes Professor. I promise you won't be getting any more trouble from me.'

Harry let out a snort which he quickly turned into a cough. Although McGonagall raised an eyebrow, she didn't say anything about it.

'You boys are dismissed, and I advise the two of you to see Madame Pomfrey before heading back to your dormitories. And I don't want either of you forgetting to turn up for detention at 7:00.'

Ron quickly made his way to the door, fumbling with the doorknob in his haste to get out of the stuffy office. But Harry stayed behind; he needed to talk to his Head of House.

Once the door had clicked shut behind Ron Harry said, 'Professor, do you mind if I asked you to do me a huge favor?'

Professor McGonagall looked at him over the top of her spectacles, 'What is it Potter?'

Harry kept his eye contact with her and said, 'Would it be possible for me to be resorted? I know that this is highly unusual, but I need to ask, because I can't continue going on this way.'

As the teacher studied him Harry continued on.

'I don't have anything against Gryffindor's really, but I just don't feel I'm suited for this house. I think everyone would be much better off with me in another house.'

The older woman looked at him and said in a stiff voice, 'You are right Potter, this is highly unusual, but I must say that with recent happenings you may be right. I shall have to speak with the Headmaster over this. I will talk to you as soon as I have. Now you may go Potter, and be sure to see Madame Pomfrey.'

Harry nodded to the woman and said a soft thanks as he exited the classroom. But instead of taking the staircase that lead to the hospital ward, he took another that lead down to the dungeons. Stopping to sit on a set of stone steps, he rested his head back against the cool walls and closed his eyes.

'Bloody hell! Did he do this to you? Did that bastard touch you?'

Harry opened his eyes to look up at the worried face of Pansy and Elizzabeth. But in Pansy's face there was also the look of understanding.

'Don't worry Panse, I got him back just as good as he got me. Broke his nose.'

Lizz laughed slightly and Pansy gave a smile, 'Let's find a classroom, and then we'll get the guys. Since you're a Gryffindor we can't take you into the Slytherin dormitory. And we can't go to the Seventh Year dormitory, too many people to ask questions.'

Elizzabeth helped Harry back to his feet and said, 'You know, if we do it right, you could probably get rid of that nasty cut without getting a scar.'

Harry smiled and said sarcastically, 'What? I don't want another beautiful scar marring my forehead?'

Lizz smirked and said, 'well, sure, but this one intersects your eyebrow, not your forehead.'

Laughing, Harry put an arm on the wall to help steady himself.

'Come on, the Potion's classroom is free. I'll go get Draco while Elizzabeth keeps you company.'

As Pansy ran down the steps and around a corner to go get the male Slytherins, Harry walked with Elizzabeth to the Potion's classroom. Sitting down in one of the front desks, he touched his eye gently. Wincing, he touched his jaw tenderly and let out a breath.

Lizz quirked an eyebrow and said, 'Found something new?'

Harry looked at her and deadpanned, 'Hardy har har.'

Laughing, Lizz said, 'I made a haha.'

Harry smiled as he moved his fingers over his jaw, 'So what do you think of Slytherin?'

Lizz smiled and said, 'I'm really glad I'm in there, I don't mean to sound snobby or anything, but all the other houses just don't seem to be as good. I mean, sure Ravenclaws are smart, but they aren't all that sociably adept are they? And then Hufflpuff, I'm sorry, but their kinda wimps. And then Gryffindors, no offense, but they seem a little big headed for me. Where as Slytherin's -shrug- they just seem normal.'

Harry smirked and said, 'Yeah, I think that about sums it up.'

Elizzabeth smiled at him and said, 'If I didn't already have someone, I would totally be hitting on you right now.'

Harry smiled and said, 'I know, I'm just irresistible, right?'

Smirking Elizzabeth said, 'Right, irresistible.'

The two laughed and then turned as the door opened.

'Room is currently being-'

Lizz cut herself off as she seen the stony face of one very, very angry Malfoy.

'Uhhh….I think that someone needs a little happy pill.'

'Shut it Potter and stop touching your face, otherwise you might further damage yourself.'

Smirking, Harry pulled his hand away from his jaw and watched as three more heads followed Draco in. There was Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise. Pansy was already back at Harry's side, cooing softly to him.

'So Malfoy, are you going to fix me?'

Draco shook his head and said, 'Goyle is the one who is the mediwizard.'

Harry nodded and then looked to Goyle, 'Well doc', my jaw hurts, and I think I might be bleeding.'

Elizzabeth gave a snort and Draco said, 'Very comedic Potter.'

Harry smirked and said, 'I try.'

But he soon stopped talking when Goyle turned to looking over his wounds, gently using his wand to touch and prod Harry. After several minutes Goyle stood up turned to Draco and said, 'His jaw is splintered slightly, and the cut through his brow looks like it would need muggle stitches.'

Draco nodded his head and said, 'Do what you can, if there are any scars or anything, we can have Madame Pomfrey fix it while she fixes his eyes.'

Harry nodded and said, 'I think I might do that fairly soon.'

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'Without your glasses, you'll look hot.'

Harry smiled at her and then said, 'Are you saying I'm not already?'

Draco sighed and said, 'Sorry to interrupt your silly squabbling, but Harry, your hot, Elizzabeth, he needs to be healed.'

Harry stared at Draco mutely for a second, but the pale Slytherin merely kept a cool face as Goyle lifted his wand and muttered a few words. Harry's eyes moved from Draco to look at Goyle as he felt the pain ebbing from his jaw and eyebrow.

Goyle smirked and said, 'Nice scar Potter.'

Harry made a swish of his wand and looked into the mirror that had appeared, 'I look devilish. But I think that the lightning scar could be gotten rid of.'

Putting down his mirror, Harry looked to the Slytherins and smiled, 'Thanks all of you. But I better get back to hanging out with Hermione now; otherwise I'll need you guys to patch me up several times a day.'

Elizzabeth stood up and was about to open her mouth to speak up when Draco beat her to it, 'Harry, if anyone so much as lays another finger on you, they'll have to deal with all of us. We look out for our kind, and in heart, you are one of us.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Ron stalked angrily from the hospital ward, his nose had been healed easily, but his ego was another matter. How dare Potter do that to me? We were supposed to be friends. Why couldn't Harry just act like his normal self?

Ron was about to round the corner when he heard two soft voices speaking hurriedly and urgently.

'Sir, Potter wants to be resorted. He feels that he would be better off in a different house.'

'I feared something like this might happen. And I dare say the Sorting Hat has bee preparing for this for some time now.'

'You aren't suggesting we actually allow this to happen, are you?'

'No Minerva, I am suggesting that we push this to happen, this Friday. If you will inform our Mr. Potter, I will begin to ready the preparations.

Ron quickly hid in an empty classroom in order to avoid having awkward questions asked. In the classroom he thought to himself.

Harry asked to be resorted? When did he do this? Why would he ask for that? Harry can't leave; if he did I don't know what I'd do. Sure, we just had a fight, but he's my best mate!

Ron left the classroom after several minutes and wound away through the school, not heading to any of the usual haunts he would hang out with his friends.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling miserably, he could hear some Ravenclaw guys fighting on the lower level. Rolling over onto his stomach and moaning, Harry felt his glasses squish onto his face. Looking over to his clock he noticed the clock read '6:45'.

'Urgh, stupid Weasel. Now I have to go serve a detention for something he started.'

Rolling out of his bed, he walked down the spiraling staircase and out past the Ravenclaw males. As he passed the Ravenclaws he heard their excited murmurings.

'…I heard that he and Malfoy had breakfast the other morning.'

'I heard that he isn't friends with the Gryffindors anymore.'

'That has to be false. I mean, he is a Griyffindor, and if he wasn't friends with them anymore, why would he still be in Gryffindor?'

'I dunno…maybe the Slytherins?'

'Haha, that's a good one…'

Harry smirked to himself and walked out, he was already stirring up rumors; he better behave for a couple days.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Ron stood in front of Professor McGonagall, frowning when he heard Harry shuffle through the door.

'Mr. Potter, you will be helping Professor Snape with whatever he chooses for you to do. Mr. Weasley, you will be going with Mr. Filch to clean up the dung bombs from the Entrance Hall.'

The two boys nodded their head in acceptance; Ron had a face of great distaste while Harry was clear of any emotion.

'Mr. Potter, I need to speak with you before you head off to serve your detention.'

Ron snarled and then left the room. Harry looked at the older woman in front of him and waited for her to speak.

'Mr. Potter, the Headmaster and I have spoken, and we believe that it would be in the best interest for all those involved if you were to be given the chance to be resorted. So this shall take place Friday evening, before the supper meal.'

Harry smiled at the Head of House and said courteously, 'Thanks you Professor.'

Smiling, the elderly woman said, 'There is no reason to be thanking me Potter. This is a decision that was thought to be in your best interest, and anything in the best interest of a student is to be done.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

After leaving the older woman back in her office, Harry smiled coolly on his way to the Potions master's office. Harry smiled, he actually liked the man, but like the Slytherins, he had to put up appearances.

Getting to the door of the office, Harry knocked and waited for an invite to go in.

'Get in here already. I have lots of things to be done.'

Harry smirked as he entered the room, 'Hello Professor. Eager to see me?'

Snorting, Snape said, 'Don't get too cocky, you need to have an hour and a half in order to complete this detention. Now, I need you to go through these first years' essays and see if they at least include several important keys in their explanation of Gillyweed.'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'Yes, sir.'

For the next hour Harry read through the first year essays, occasionally letting out a laugh here and there. Each time Harry laughed Snape would look up at him until eventually he said exasperated.

'Potter, either tell me what's so damn funny, or stop laughing.'

Harry smirked at the parchment and said, 'Sorry sir, but this person here is saying that Gillyweed is a poisonous plant found in the bogs of Africa.'

Snape's lips curled up into a smirk and said, 'Let me guess, that was Samuel Spicer.'

Harry looked at the top and nodded his head, 'Yes sir.'

Smiling, Snape said, 'Yes, Mr. Spicer has a very imaginative mind. But unfortunately imagination is not that great a thing in potions.'

Harry nodded in silent agreement and said, 'Sir, I've finished these essays.'

Snape looked up from some other marking he was doing. Taking the Gillyweed essays, he looked over a few and said, 'Good Potter, I was slightly worried that you might go easy on them.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Sorry to disappoint you sir.'

Snape smirked and then looked at the clock on the wall. 'I suppose you can go now. But Potter, don't be coming back here again…unless for good reason.'

Harry smiled and said good night; it had been one of his best detentions ever.

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**Hey, hope you don't get too mad at me for Harry's statement about his scar, I just feel that it isn't all that manly, and it sort of relays to the thought of him being the saviour of the wizarding world, and him feeling controlled by all of it and...yeah, sorry, I'm babbling.  
Anyway, huge props to my beta, she saves me every time.  
And send more reviews, I love 'em all.**


	19. General Confusion

Chapter 18

Over the next couple days several things happened. The next day Hermione had come to him to ask him to once again start up the DA meetings, saying that at the next weekend, which was a Hogsmeade weekend, they could all gather at The Three Broomsticks. Harry had wanted to get her off his back, so had agreed half heartedly.

Almost instantly posters had been hanging all through the castle, stating that the DA sign up was to be taking place in Hogsmeade that weekend. All those interested were to get the same coins that had been used the first year.

Meanwhile, Hermione had said that she felt Harry should start teaching them some more advanced spells. Harry had gotten angry and told her that if she wanted to learn these more advanced spells she should start looking some of them up for herself.

Then that evening they had all been disgusted to find Ron passed out, drunk, on one of the sofas in the seventh year dormitory, an empty bottle of fire whiskey dangling from his hand. Harry had walked over, taken the empty bottle and thrown it against the bricks of the fireplace, the leaping flames startling Ron to consciousness again.

The day after that, everyone had been surprised to see Ginny Weasley with a startling new haircut. In place of her long coppery locks, she now had a blunt bob that was longer in the front than the back. It had all been dyed black except for a few streaks of dark purple. Ron had merely grimaced and looked away, Hermione had been speechless at first, and then she had quickly screamed how awesome it was.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked across from him at the startlingly clear, blue eyes.

'Sorry, I was just in a rush. Here, let me help you.'

On his knees, Harry helped the pale blonde girl in front of him; he grabbed some rolling inkwells, and a few pieces of paper that were loose.

'Thanks, I'm just trying to find someone, and I'm still not that great at finding my way around here.'

Harry smiled and then helped her to stand up, 'No problem. Maybe you should tell me who you're looking for; I might be able to help.'

Harry had noticed it was that Amy girl from the beginning of the year. She had been sorted into Slytherin, and she looked startlingly familiar, he just couldn't place her.

Smiling up at him, she laughed softly and said, 'My name's Amy Dael, I'm looking for a Draco Malfoy.'

Harry's eyes were warm and he said, 'I'm Harry Potter, and I think Draco should be just finishing up his extra credit Transfiguration class. I'll walk with you.'

Amy smile dipped a bit and she said, 'Actually, I think I can wait to talk to him. It's not a big deal, and I forgot, I'm supposed to be meeting my sister.'

As she scurried down the hall, leaving a stunned Harry in her wake, she called back, 'Nice to meet you Harry!'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco stared unseeingly ahead of him. Professor Trelawney had never made an accurate prediction that he knew of. Normally she made vague predictions that were self fulfilling, but this time, this time she had scared him. For this time, her prediction had sounded different than any he had ever heard before. Her voice had gone all deep and her eyes had rolled back in her head.

'Someone once lost shall be found.

Someone once hated with new love is bound.

A common enemy shall be destroyed,

But there will be others to fill the void.'

Draco shuddered again at the memory. He was to find someone once lost, that would most likely be Amièe, his sister. He was to fall in love with someone who he once hated, well, that was a long list. But those two weren't the ones that really unnerved him, it was the last one.

He unconsciously went to run a hand through his silky blonde hair, but he found them greased back with the gel that was his Slytherin persona. Sneering at the gunk that now clung to his skin he wiped it off on a tapestry as he passed.

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**Sorry at the extreme shortness of this chapter, but my next chapter is back to normal.  
Props again to my beta.  
And I need more than one review before I give in and give you guys the next chapter.**


	20. Hufflepuff

Chapter 19

Harry rounded a corner only to promptly fall onto his back side.

'Ouch, that'll hurt tomorrow.'

Draco snapped out of his reverie and put a hand down to help the raven haired beauty off the stone floor, 'Sorry about that, head was elsewhere.'

Harry laughed as he allowed Draco to help him back to his feet, 'No problem, just so long as you promise not to laugh, no matter what house I'm sorted into.'

Draco looked at him with a raised eyebrow, 'Did you hit your head in that fall? Because, you know, we've already been sorted.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Right, sorry, I forgot I hadn't told you yet. Ready for a bit of a story?'

Draco looked at Harry with curiosity and said, 'Sure, so you better start your explanation.'

Harry smiled and clapped Draco on the shoulder in a sign of camaraderie, 'Ok, here's the short version. Gryffindors have huge egos, I can't take that, it has come to violence. In order to avoid suspension I have asked to be resorted. The Headmaster agreed, and so I shall be resorted, tonight.'

Draco took a moment to digest all the information, 'So you could be sorted into Hufflepuff.'

Receiving a playful punch from Harry, Draco laughed while trying to apologize. And that was the scene Elizzabeth encountered when she rounded the same corner Harry had just come around.

Smirking she asked, 'Now what are you two laughing over? I could do with a laugh.'

Harry smiled, 'Seeing as Draco is unable to tell you his joke, I will. Tonight I'm being resorted, so Draco thought it extremely funny that there was a possibility I could be sorted into Hufflepuff.'

Elizzabeth tried to turn her laugh into a cough, but was laughing too hard to do it. Harry smirked and said, 'Wait until we tell the rest of you guys.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Ron sat on the leather sofa, staring unseeingly into the common room fire. He had half a bottle of Grindy Gin. His hair looked like it hadn't been brushed in several days, and he had some stubble that was poking out on his chin. His eyes were blood shot, and his face was really pale.

'Ron, what are you doing? Do you realize if you get caught with alcohol they'll give you a week's worth of detentions? You're just being so stupid over this whole Harry thing. I mean, everyone knows he has to come back around. He's Harry.'

Ron looked blearily up into the face of the female Gryffindor he had considered a friend for many years.

''Mione. Do you even know what yer talkin' 'bout?'

Hermione sighed and said, 'You're even slurring. Jeez, how am I supposed to cover this up? I don't know the charm for sobriety.'

Ron shrugged his shoulder and slurred, 'Dusn' matter. I'm not goin' to supper.'

Hermione looked at him a bit startled; after all, the boy never missed a meal.

'Ron…what do you mean you're not going to supper? Why wouldn't you go to supper?'

Ron turned his head back to staring at the fire, ''Cause…'Arry's getting' resorted. He dun' wanna be in da shame house as me anymow.'

Hermione sank down into a chair and said, 'But….he can't. Who would fight You-Know-Who?'

Ron put out his arm that had the Grindy Gin. Taking the bottle she chugged back a third of what was left. Grimacing as the alcohol burned down her throat she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her robe.

Ron monotoned from beside her, 'It numbs it after a bit.'

xxxxXXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco smirked and said, 'If I'm not mistaken, I believe you had agreed you wanted your eyes fixed, no more glasses. Tonight would be the perfect time to show up without your glasses.'

Elizzabeth nodded eagerly and said, 'Right, put a shock to their systems. It would definitely make everyone look twice.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Alright, let's go get my eyes fixed.'

Draco smirked as Elizzabeth took Harry's arm and began to walk to the hospital ward. Walking behind them, he was suddenly struck by how normal Harry seemed. He wasn't at all like the other Gryffindors, with their high and mighty morals that they themselves never followed.

In fact, Harry seemed nothing at all like any of the houses, other than Slytherin that was. Draco smirked at the thought of the Golden Boy being placed in Slytherin. He would bet any money that would take the twinkle from the infuriating Headmaster's eyes.

'…so if you guys are from Canada, how does your sister know Draco?'

Draco snapped out of his reverie at hearing his name.

'I dunno. Why?'

Shrugging Harry said, 'I ran into her earlier, literally, and she said she was looking for Draco Malfoy. I offered to help her, but then she said she had to go talk to you.'

Elizzabeth gave a crooked smile and said, 'Well…we haven't talked today.'

Draco moved up to walk on Harry's other side, 'So what are we talking about?'

Harry laughed and said, 'Nothing, we're here now.'

Elizzabeth laughed and Draco sneered, 'Right.'

Harry said in a joking tone, 'Come on Draco, Lizz can fill you in while I get my eyes corrected.'

Elizzabeth looked at Harry and said with a pout, 'Why can't we come in?'

Harry laughed and said, 'I don't need you guys to hear me screaming. I mean, come on, I may not have as big an ego as the Gryffindors, but I still have my pride.'

Lizz laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, 'We'll be out here.'

Draco gave a grunt and said, 'I wouldn't have laughed or anything.'

Lizz elbowed him and said, 'Go ahead Harry. Draco and I will wait.'

Harry laughed at his two new friends and walked in to see Madame Pomfrey taking care of a first year who had tried to hex their pimples off. Smirking slightly, as it seemed to be a Gryffindor. He walked up to Madame Pomfrey and waited for her to turn her attention to him.

'…Now Penny, next time you get a pimple, come to me and I'll take care of it.' Turning around, she let out a soft gasp and said, 'Good grief Harry. What did you do this time?'

Harry laughed and said, 'Don't worry, nothing serious, I was just wondering if you could correct my eyes for me. You know, that way I don't have to be fumbling with glasses all the time.'

Smiling at the younger male Madame Pomfrey said brightly, 'Of course Harry. But I have to ask you, why have you never asked me before now?'

Harry shrugged, 'I guess I never really thought that much about it before. But with some stuff I do it really would be better off without glasses.'

As Harry had been talking, Madame Pomfrey had been rummaging around in a shelf filled with potions. Grabbing a flask filled with an electric blue liquid she walked back over to Harry with a small cup full.

'You wouldn't try and poison me now. Would you?'

Laughing, the beautiful blonde said, 'Of course not. After all, with you always in here, I would lose my main source of entertainment.'

Harry quickly shot back the potion and gave a grimace, his eyes squinting closed in disgust.

Laughing again, the slender woman put away the bottle and said, 'That face was just too priceless.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco leaned against the wall as Elizzabeth sat on the floor. His fingers were toying with the edge of his sleeve, 'Do you think he'll be alright?'

Elizzabeth looked up at him and said, 'I think he should be. After all, she did re-grow all his bones didn't she?'

Draco nodded his head and said with a slight smile, 'Yeah. You should have seen it; his arm had looked like rubber before she fixed it. That soft git Lockhart had tried to fix a broken arm, but had succeeded in making all the bones disappear.'

Elizzabeth looked slightly horrified and said in a soft voice, 'Was the man fired?'

Draco snorted and said, 'No, although he should have been several times. All the staff hated him, and yet Dumbledore kept him on.'

Elizzabeth's eyes flashed with anger and she said, 'Even after the retard mangled Harry's arm they didn't do anything? That's fucked up!'

Draco laughed at her anger on Harry's behalf, 'Well, if I ever need someone in my corner, I know who I'll call on.'

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'hush it Malfoy. I'm allowed to feel anger on behalf of a friend.'

Draco smiled and said, 'Yeah, but this happened five years ago.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry opened his eyes again, only to notice everything was blurred. Taking off his glasses, he let out a whistle and said, 'I should have done this earlier.'

Turning back around to look at him Madame Pomfrey smiled and said, 'You look good Harry. You'll be in here next time, asking me to help you to hide from all the girls that will be chasing you.'

Harry laughed and pushed a lock of raven black hair away from his emerald eyes, 'Sure, sure. I'm still me, nothing special.'

Looking at him, the woman pulled him into a hug, and said, 'Darling, you underestimate yourself.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Next thing you'll be telling me is that I'm perfectly handsome, just like my father.'

Madame Pomfrey smiled and said, 'No, I'd never do that, for you have your own beauty.'

Harry pretended to wipe at a fake tear, 'Thanks so much. I feel so happy.'

Laughing, the woman pushed at his shoulder affectionately and said, 'Get out of here you little scamp.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Sure, just wait a second. I want to take the lenses out of these glasses.'

Confused, Madame Pomfrey asked, 'Why would you want to do that?'

Harry smirked and said, 'Well, I don't very well need the lenses anymore, do I?'

xxxxXXXXXXXXxxxx

Hermione waved her arms wildly, sloshing more of the Fire Whiskey down her front, 'I don't see why I have to be expected to know everything. I just happen to like to get good grades, and compared to my studies in the muggle world, this is all pretty darn interesting.'

Ron smiled over at her, himself just as drunk, if not further gone, 'It'z da shame az me isn' er? I'm da one everone expects to be 'Arry's corny shide kick!'

As Ron had said it his voice had risen steadily so the last part was shouted angrily. Hermione meanwhile nodded her head vigorously in agreement. On the other side of the room, several Hufflepuffs looked on with eyes full of sorrowful understanding, the Ravenclaws with disgust, and the Slytherins with amusement.

Hermione tried to stand up and succeeded for a moment before falling back into the leather chair. Giggling she pronounced, 'I do believe we are officially 'sloshed'.'

Ron began to laugh uproariously, slapping his knee.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry walked out of the hospital ward and Draco looked up to him. Elizzabeth jumped to her feet and walked over.

'What? Did you wuss out? I thought you'd wanted to get rid of your glasses.'

Harry smirked and put a finger through the eye slot of the glasses, 'I didn't wuss out Malfoy, I just thought it would be best if I kept my appearance as that of which all those expect. Then, when I want to be me, and not the freaking Boy Wonder, I can take off my glasses and actually be different.'

Elizzabeth smiled understandingly and ruffled the fringe that fell down into his eyes, 'Next thing you need to do is get a tattoo, or a piercing, or both!'

Draco laughed while Harry gave a snort, 'Yeah, I can just see that. Me getting a large tattoo of a Phoenix or something, or maybe I could get my ear pierced?'

Elizzabeth shook her head and said reprovingly, 'Of course not, you nitwit, you would get a small tattoo in a place where you can hide it if you want, and maybe get…I dunno, your eyebrow pierced.'

Harry's smile grew into one of thoughtful acceptance and said, 'I could do that.'

Draco smirked and said, 'Yeah, all of us should get a tattoo or something, so that this, our best year, will never be forgotten.'

Harry smiled and motioned with his head, 'Come on, we better change and get ready for supper.'

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'And your resorting into Hufflepuff.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry walked through the portrait hole laughing at the antics of his two friends. But his laughter quickly died as he spotted the two sloshed Griffindors.

'Merlin. What time is it?' Draco looked at his watch and raised his eyebrows.

Elizzabeth snickered as Hermione stood wobbly, her hand on the chair steadying her, ''Arry. We've been waitin' for you to come back. You shee there are deez nasty rumors goin' round that yer bein' resorted.'

Harry walked over, his face blank, and he helped her to sit back down, 'They're not rumors Hermione. They're true.'

At her astounded face, mottled due to the alcohol, he continued on, 'I can't stay in Gryffindor, Hermione. I need to be my own person, not the person everyone wants me to be.'

Turning away from the frizzy haired girl, he saw Elizzabeth and Draco's nods of approval. But all eyes quickly turned to Hermione as she stood back up, swaying ever more precariously and shouted at him.

'I'm not 'Hermione' I'm ''Mione', and you are a Gryffindor through and through 'Arry Potter. You are jus goin' through a faze. You'll come back to ush with time.'

Harry gave a sympathetic smile as the girl fell back onto her bottom at Ron's feet. Turning to Draco he said, 'Let's hurry, I want out of this friggin' house as soon as possible. Otherwise I may go daft like those two.'

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**Haha, hi, I hope not too many people wil ltake a drunk Hermione the wrong way. I'm trying to get through that she's more thanjust a brain, that she also gets down like the rest of the students.  
But thanks to those of you who reviewed, I love to hear from you.  
And once again, huge props to my favourite, and only, beta!**


	21. Slytherin

Chapter 20

Harry looked into his closet that stood beside between his and Draco's beds. He pulled out a black Guns 'N Roses t shirt, and matched it with a pair of torn cargo jeans. With the jeans he decided on a black studded belt to keep them from falling off his hips. Smiling, he ran his hands through his still wet hair and ruffled his hair into a just-rolled-out-of-bed look.

A smiling voice said from behind him, 'So here's the big question, are you going to be You or are you going to be the Golden Boy?'

Harry turned around and said with a smirk, 'I'm going as Me, obviously. The Golden Boy was a friggin' Gryffindor.'

Draco's smile widened, 'Good answer.'

Harry let his eyes now look over Draco's outfit, a red silk shirt that strained across his muscled chest, and black leather pants that should have been made illegal.

Harry looked back up to Draco's eyes and tried to maneuver past the large fire of desire that was quickly running through him, 'So, why are you all decked out? I'm the one being sorted.'

Draco smiled, shrugged his shoulders and said, 'I wanna look my best while Ron Weasley looks his absolute best. Besides, even if you are a friend, I can't have you upstaging me.'

Harry snorted and said, 'Right, like that would ever be even remotely possible.'

Draco looked about to counteract Harry and then shook his head, 'You're right. Anyway, we better go get tour seats before you make too big an entrance and steal all my glory.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Elizzabeth tapped one of her nicely manicured nails against the wall as she waited for Harry and Draco. She wanted some company on her way down to supper, and she wanted it to be her new friends.

Turning to look as the boys dormitory opened, she smiled broadly when Draco emerged. She then looked behind him, looking for Harry. Behind Draco came a dark haired guy who looked like he could be from Slytherin, he was toxically good looking. Ripping her eyes away from the darker haired male she turned back to the door, waiting for Harry to come out.

When Draco walked up beside her, the darker haired male having followed him, Elizzabeth moved her eyes from the door to look at Malfoy with a frown creasing her brow, 'Where's Harry?'

Draco smirked and stepped aside so the dark haired sex pot could step to her side. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder the male spoke in a throaty growl, 'Hey babe, maybe we should go down to supper?'

Elizzabeth's eyes widened as she saw the scar through the eyebrow and the flashing emerald eyes. Taking a step back, she looked him over and gave a wolf whistle.

'Jeez Harry, in the words of Paris Hilton "That's Hot".'

Smirking Harry gave a low chuckle and said, 'Come on, I'm starved.'

Draco smiled and stood on Elizzabeth's other side, wrapping his arm around her waist. Laughing, Elizzabeth flipped her hair over one shoulder and then straightened her back.

'I feel like a star. Two drop dead sexy men on either side.'

In front of the threesome they bumped into Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise.

'Well, and why is it that you three are all dolled up? Holy shit!'

Harry smirked again and said, 'Yes Pansy, my glasses are gone, for good.'

Smiling, Pansy said, 'You know Harry, you really do look better without them.'

Harry smiled at her and said, 'Come on, let's get down to supper.'

'Wait, you still didn't answer my question. Why are you all dressed up?'

Harry answered her with a wolfish grin and a, 'It's a surprise.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

As they walked through the Entrance Hall on their way to the Great Hall, Pansy turned to Harry and asked, 'By the way, why was there two drunken Gryffindors in the Seventh Year common room?'

Harry merely gave a sad smile and said, 'They're Gryffindors, they don't think the rules apply to them. What more of an explanation is needed?'

Separating from the other four, Elizzabeth, Draco, and Harry walked to their seats in front of the staff table. Again, Elizzabeth sat between the two boys. Like them, she had also dressed up, wearing a white halter top that showed off a Blue bra, and a pair of stone washed hip huggers.

Harry looked up to the table to see the faces on the many teachers assembled. Hagrid was smiling as usual; he seemed to be looking for someone in the large sea of faces. Professor Lupin looked calm, his face impassive. Professor Snape looked sort of interested, it was obvious he had dressed up a bit, his hair was no longer greasy and he didn't look quite as forbidding. Harry smirked as he noticed the twinkle in the blue eyes of the Headmaster was missing. Professor McGonagall looked as if she was sucking on a sour lemon. Professor Trelawney looked edgy, as if someone was going to jump out at her at any minute. Professor Flitwick had also cleaned up, his robes were all sitting nicely where as they were usually in disarray. And Professor Sprout, she was the most obvious to see that she had cleaned up; she was free of any trace of fertilizer, her hair up in a neat bun, and her large face looked warm and inviting.

Finished at scrutinizing the teachers, Harry turned and looked at the students; it seemed that quite a few of them had also noticed their Head of Houses.

Turning back to look at the staff table expectantly, Harry waited.

Dumbledore stood and waited for silence to fall over the hall.

'As many of you have noticed, all the Head of Houses are neatly dressed and all staff is present. Now that I have made this statement I would expect all of you to be wondering at the purpose behind this-'

Dumbledore's speech was interrupted by a drunken giggle that surfaced from somewhere at the Seventh Year table. Harry's smile grew as he thanked Merlin he was leaving behind the house of Gryffindor.

'As I was saying, the purpose behind this is that we shall be having a new sorting. Now, I realize that this has never been done before, but many here feel that this could be the best course for this student.'

At the end of this sentence a wave of excited murmuring broke out over the hall. After all, it had never happened before.

'…What's he talking about?...'

'…I think the old man's finally lost it…'

'…Never done what before?...'

Harry then smiled at Draco who looked as if Christmas had come early.

The mutterings soon died off as Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the stool in front of the staff table. This again only incited more whispers.

'…Where did that come from?...'

'…Why would they need the sorting hat?...'

'…What is going on?...'

Harry, Draco, and Elizzabeth turned expectant eyes to the sorting hat. Harry wondered what the hat could have come up with; it wasn't the first time Harry James Potter was sorted, but the difference was that the first time it had been the Golden Boy, this time, it was Harry Potter.

Silence fell over the Great Hall as they realized that the hat would be singing a song that might answer their questions. And all eyes of the hall turned to listen to the hat.

'Once upon a time, six long years ago

Came a boy whose name everyone did know.

Many people did hold the small boy dear,

For he had gotten rid of their greatest fear.

The dark haired wonder had much, I could see,

But instead of the house where he should rightfully be

He chose the great house of the mighty Gryffindor.

For he was the hero many did adore.

Even though he had heard my song,

He, regretfully, convinced me to sort him wrong.

So now, after many a fight,

Everything shall, finally, be set right.'

Harry smiled as he waited for the thunderous whispering to begin again. And as many things go, he didn't have long to wait.

'…Who is it talking about?...'

'…Dark haired wonder?...'

'…I wonder if he's someone hot…'

Smiling as the entire hall began to look for someone who fit the profile; a dark haired Gryffindor everyone knows. As the questioning whispers continued on a slurred voice cut through.

'It'sh 'Arry bloody Potter.'

Harry smiled at Draco and Elizzabeth and stood up from his seat, making his way to the staff table. Smiling at the Headmaster he said, 'Hello…sir.'

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly at the purposeful delay of the respectful address.

'Hello Harry. If you would be so kind as to make an address to the student body after being resorted. I would find it a very large favor that I would be indebted to you for.'

Harry smirked and turned to face the many eyes of the Hogwarts castle. As he looked into the sea of faces, he felt his amulet once again burn, slightly hotter, but still bearable. Succeeding in avoiding a grimace he gave a smirk instead. Picking up the sorting hat he sat on the stool and placed it over his head.

'Well, well, nice to see you again Harry Potter.'

'Hello, so, we both know the drill, this time I won't interfere at all.'

In an almost laughing voice the Sorting hat said, 'Right, I gather where you should be from your thoughts, yet I make the decision.'

'That's right. Otherwise they wouldn't need you would they?'

'Point taken. Hmm….I see that you still have the courage, but I also see a large, knowledgeable brain. You are kind to those around you…who haven't been unduly unkind to you or others that his. And yet, you have a large need to show what you are made of. You feel you must prove to those about you that you are more than a figure head of power.'

Nodding his hat-clad head to the words he said, 'And don't forget my witty humor.'

Harry could have sworn that the hat had smirked as it yelled out its decision, '…SLYTHERIN!'

Taking off the hat and placing it on the stool Harry smiled at the large, silent, crowd. He felt he amulet burning, but it was only for a moment; a second of intense burning heat that was immediately replaced with a soothing balm.

Confused as to the workings of the amulet, he kept the smile firmly in place and spoke in a clear voice, 'To those of you who were only kind to me because I was the revered Boy-Who-Lived, the Golden Boy, the Chosen One, I have one thing to say: Get. A. Life.'

Taking a bow, Harry righted to hear the loud cheering of the Slytherins amidst the silence of the other houses.

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**Hey, it'll take a little while for my next posts, because I was on a bit of a break. But now I am back to work, and working hard on the next few chapters.  
Anyhow, I hope people can come to understand my portayel of Harry as things come up, I will try to be much more explanatory of things in upcoming chapters.  
But send in those reviews, they always make me smile, bad or good.**


	22. Hogsmead

Chapter 21

Harry looked back to the head table in time to see Severus Snape wearing a true smile, and a shocked Dumbledore, the twinkle still seemingly misplaced. Bowing slightly to Professor Snape, Harry walked off of the raised front of the table and walked back to his seat.

Harry smiled as Draco said, 'Welcome to Slytherin. Now your officially one of us.'

Harry smirked and said, 'Uh oh, I'm not sure whether to feel frightened, or to feel welcomed. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all.'

Elizzabeth laughed and said, 'Harry, stop being such a joker. Sit down and eat already, we need to start getting ready to head into Hogsmeade tomorrow.'

Harry smiled as he sat back in his spot.

'Harry, welcome to Slytherin mate. You're really gonna love it.'

Harry turned to smile at Theodore Nott, 'Really? How are you guys all that much different than the other houses?'

Nott laughed heartily and said, 'For one, we don't really idolize a person, much to contrary belief. And we aren't all scheming and evil like the other houses portray us as. We just like to have good friends, and even better fun. Like next Friday night for example.'

Nott speared a leaf of lettuce and stuffed it into his mouth, ranch dressing sitting in the corner of his lip. Harry smirked and motioned to the ranch.

'Thanks mate. Anyhow-'

But before Theodore could continue on his explanation Draco cut in, 'You know Harry, Slytherin is planning a welcome-home party for next Friday. Maybe you could help me, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Panse plan for it? We are in charge of the entertainment, decorations, and all that other stuff.'

Nott snorted in his pumpkin juice and then wiped at his nose while trying to fend off the tears that had sprung to his eyes. Laughing he said 'Yeah, Draco is usually the one who-'

'Nott, in case you haven't noticed there are the Head Boy and Head Girl down the table, not to mention the staff table a short distance away.'

Theodore laughed and said, 'right, and look at how sotted those two are. They wouldn't notice the second coming of Merlin if it happened right in front of them.'

Harry looked over at the two mentioned Gryffindors and said softly, 'They may be drunk now, but those two can be brilliant when sober. Ron may not be brilliant with knowledge, but he makes a brilliant friend. Always has your back.'

Draco said in a soft, non threatening voice, 'Then where is he now?'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry smirked as he moved the feather to tickle Goyle's cheek. He had to stifle a laugh and shushed those around him when Goyle's hand, filled with whip cream, connected with his cheek. His hand going back to lay by his side Harry motioned for Draco to hill it up again. Draco smirked and shook his head; he hadn't put his gel in yet.

Harry smiled and tickled the muscular boy's neck. And so Harry traced a path down the boy's chest. Harry bit his bottom lip as he used a quill to gently poke Goyle's member, he could hear collective breath's around him being drawn as Goyle's hand came up and down on his own soft spot.

'Ooouuuch!'

Harry winced and said, 'That oughta smart.'

Goyle opened his eyes to see Harry sitting beside him, holding the feather and quill, 'You. You better run before I get out of this bed!'

Harry smirked and stood up, 'Sorry Goyle. But I mean, you had to have a shower anyway, and it taste's good. Try it.'

Goyle looked wearily at Draco, who he noticed was holding a can of whip cream. Licking at his hand he smirked, licked it and then said, 'So…who had the kinky idea of whipped cream instead of shaving cream?'

Harry laughed and clapped the bigger boy on the shoulder, 'I told them you wouldn't really mind.'

Goyle laughed with him and then said in a dead serious voice, 'But if you ever, ever, make me hit myself-there-again, I will dismember you.'

Harry smirked and said, 'Sure thing, but same goes for you, only I won't do the dismembering, I'll get Crabbe to do it.'

Everyone laughed as Goyle went off to shower.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry smiled as they left behind the gloomy corridors of the castle, and came into the bright fall colors of Hogsmeade. Taking in a deep breath, he smiled at the crisp tang of the leaves.

'So, Harry, where should we go first? Honeydukes? The Three Broomsticks? Madame Malkin's? Weasley's Wizard Wheezes? Where?'

Harry laughed and said, 'Well….I need to stop at The Three Broomsticks later, I need some potion supplies…I need to go pretty much everywhere.'

Draco nodded his head and said, 'Well…let's go to do the serious stuff first. I need to restock my potion supplies too.'

Harry smirked and said, 'What did you use them all up on Draco? I realize Halloween is coming up really quick, but we haven't done that many potions.'

Draco laughed and said, 'I could ask the same thing.'

Harry smiled as the bell dinged on their entrance, 'I'll meet you at the till. I need to find a book first.'

Draco nodded and walked off to get his own stuff. Harry walked to the potion book section and looked for the one he wanted. Smiling as he found it he looked at the ingredients list.

In order to obtain the healing abilities of a Scar Removal Potion you need the following ingredients:

Wolfsbane, Echinacea, Mortwood, Bubotuber Puss, Mandrake Root….

Harry looked at the list and carefully gathered all the ingredients. As he gathered all of them he smirked at his thoughts; it was a good thing he wasn't in Gryffindor anymore. If he was Hermione would quickly figure out what all the ingredients were for. She would devour all the books in the library in her search.

Getting to the counter Harry quickly paid and put all of his purchases into a bag. He didn't need Draco to begin snooping around in his things.

'Hey Potter, I was waiting and got bored. So I went outside for a bit. Anyhow, let's go.'

Harry smiled and said, 'How long were you waiting?'

'Oh, you know, about 5 minutes.'

Harry stifled a laugh as he said, 'Wow, you sure had a long time to wait. I can see how you got so bored.'

Draco stuck out his tongue while Harry let out his laugh and said, 'Come on, lets go to Honeydukes next. That way we can have the sugar in our system when we have to go to The Three Broomsticks.'

Draco nodded his head and said, 'We should stock up for the party next Friday.'

Harry nodded his head and smiling asked, 'So how about you let me in some more on that party you're supposed to be planning.'

Draco smiled and said, 'Well…Slytherin usually has a welcome back party, but we didn't get that as we had to move to the new dormitory, so now we're having it once we get back from the Seventh Year dormitory.'

Harry nodded his head, 'Alright, now what are your plans for the party?'

Inside of Honeydukes Draco began to fill up large bags of candy and explained his plans, 'Well, we need to have food, so that's what the candy in these bags is for. And we have Snape getting the drinks from Hagrid, that man sure can brew a wicked brew. And Pansy shall be doing the lighting and decorations. As for music-'

But Harry cut him off as he said, 'Look, Pansy is in that new Muzic store. We should go in; I do need some new discs after all.'

Draco snorted and said, 'Yeah sounds good.'

Pansy turned around as she heard their approach, 'You guys startled me. Hey Draco, what do you think of this bass? Is it too bulky? I don't want to look like I'm about to topple over on Friday.'

Draco laughed at Pansy's vanity, 'Come on, you know you look good in anything.'

Blushing the girl tried to hide it by bending over to put the bass away, 'Yeah, but this time…'

Harry smiled and squeezed her hand, 'This time there's someone special isn't there?'

Pansy smiled at him and squeezed back, 'Yeah.'

Draco looked shocked and said, 'Wait. What? Who is this special someone?'

Pansy sighed and said, 'Draco, he's nice alright?'

Harry smirked as Draco continued in the roll of protective older sibling, 'If this guy so much as hurts you I'll-'

Laughing Pansy said, 'You'll what? Send Crabbe after him?'

Draco nodded his head and said in a confident tone, 'Yeah, I'll ask Crabbe to beat him up.'

Harry looked slightly pale at Draco, Pansy snarled and said, 'Crabbe is not your little house elf to boss about!'

As Pansy stormed out Harry said, 'Mate, Crabbe is the bloke.'

Draco looked at Harry with wide eyes and said, 'Shite, I put my foot in it this time, didn't I?'

Seeing Harry open his mouth, Draco put up a finger and said, 'Don't answer that.'

Harry laughed and said, 'So, what instrument do you play? Drums?'

Draco noticed the change in subject and accepted it without comment, 'Nah, I play electric guitar. Panse plays bass, Crabbe plays drums, and Goyle is on organ.'

Harry smiled and asked, 'So Blaise is the vocalist?'

Draco looked at an onyx guitar and said, 'No, Blaise is our manager for now. He gets our gigs. We all sing slight vocals.'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'Yeah, after the detention I kind of figured you guys had to have some musical background.'

Draco laughed and said, 'We were just fooling around, having fun. But you sounded pretty damn awesome.'

Harry shrugged his shoulders while looking at a firestarter, 'I guess. I never really had a receptive audience before.'

Draco smirked and said, 'Singing in the shower doesn't count as an audience.'

Harry laughed sardonically and said, 'I wish. But, nah, not the shower head. My uncle. The man was my largest critic.'

Draco looked at the raven haired boy, unable to see any emotion in the stark depths as the locks veiled his face from view. Wanting to snap the other boy out of this funk he said, 'You should sing with us. Come to a couple practices. If you fit in you could become our newest member.'

Harry looked up, excitement sparkling in the emerald pools, 'Are you serious?'

Draco nodded his head and said, 'Sure, we need back up electric, another vocalist, and someone else for Blaise to scream at.'

Harry laughed and asked, 'Is he truly that bad?'

Draco gave Harry an oh-yeah look before strumming a few chords on the onyx and smiling.

'I think this be her. This shall be my new baby.'

Harry laughed and took the firestarter, 'And here be mine. If I can't do that well on her, she'll at least be pretty.'

The two boys paid out 20 galleons at the till for the guitars and some other paraphernalia. Walking out with their new purchases, Harry turned to Draco with a grim expression.

'I need to stop and check how Hermione is doing with the DA registration.'

Draco nodded his head and said, 'Yeah, still part of your duty, right?'

Harry nodded his head and Draco continued on, 'It's alright; I have someone I need to speak to quickly. I'll be right back.'

Harry nodded and walked into The Three Broomsticks. Instantly seeing Hermione, he made his way over. The girl had red rimmed eyes and was holding her head with a pained expression.

'Hermione, are you alright?'

Looking at him the girl gave a grimace at turning her head and said, 'Mind not speaking so loud?'

Harry smiled acceptance and said, 'So how any people are signed so far?'

Hermione didn't even look down at the list, 'There have to be at least 25.'

Harry let out a low whistle and said, 'That's a lot of people.'

Hermione gave him a look that just said 'duh'.

'Well, I was just checking in like I said I would. But, I guess you have everything under control, so I'll be meeting Draco now. See you later Hermione.'

As he walked away from her table he could have sworn he heard a whispered, 'Why Slytherin?' But when he turned back around she was looking over the list with a look of pure concentration on her face.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry caught up with Draco just outside the noisy pub, 'So who did you have to meet?'

Draco smirked and said, 'All I'm going to tell you is that she is involved in the entertainment.'

Harry looked scandalized and said, 'Surely you didn't hire a hooker?'

Draco laughed and said, 'Nah, we have enough of those in our house alone.'

Harry smirked and said, 'This sure will be one crazy party.'

Draco smiled wistfully and agreed, 'Oh yeah.'

------------------------------------------------------  
**Ok, here we go.  
I want to thank my beta for working her magic again, a true angel she is. And I want to thank my readers for sending in their delicious reviews, you always make me smile.  
And, here's a bit of excitement for you, I have a new update on the romance between Harry and Draco, big things will happen very soon. But I need at least 50 reviews before I even think about handing over the juicy plot twister.**


	23. Practice

Chapter 22

Harry looked to Pansy and decided that he'd had enough of the under currents of dislike between her and Draco. Sitting forward in his chair, he turned to Draco and said, 'Apologize.'

Draco looked hurt and then said, 'I don't know what you're-'

'Draco, just apologize, she's hurt and you need to fix it.'

Draco looked to Pansy and said in a soft voice, 'Panse, I never meant to hurt you. I just don't want you getting hurt. And Crabbe is so much stronger than me, and we all care about you, so I figured that he would automatically do it anyway.'

Pansy's face softened considerably and she slipped out of her chair to hug Draco, 'I forgive you Drakey. And I'm sorry for blowing up at you. You couldn't have known.'

Through all of this Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise sat with identical expressions of confusion. Crabbe soon seemed to piece together a bit though, as he looked happily at a blushing Pansy.

'Anyhow, now that that's settled. Let's get back to what we were trying to do.'

Draco shook his head to get his thoughts back on track and said, 'Right. Back to what I was saying before. As most of us here know, from previous experience, Harry has an awesome voice, and a great sense of key. I put forward the proposition that he be inducted into the band.'

Pansy nodded her head and said, 'I motion that we do as Draco has proposed.'

Goyle smiled and said, 'I second that motion.'

As the six Slytherins smiled Blaise said, 'Now all we need is a name, and a practice schedule.'

Draco snorted, 'How about the Moldie Voldies.'

Pansy giggled, 'We could be the Harmonizing Hunnies.'

Goyle smirked, 'The White Knights.'

Everyone soon burst into uncontrollable laughter until Blaise, wiping a tear from his eye, pulled everyone back to business.

'Come on, this is serious. If you guys wanna get some more gigs you need an actual name.'

Everyone settled down and got to work thinking of a real name.

Crabbe said in a questioning voice, 'How about Trouble? I mean, we are trouble.'

Blaise nodded his head, 'How about you spell it backwards, Elbourt.'

Shaking his head Draco said, 'It sounds too much like Albert. I like the idea of spelling it backwards though.'

Everyone settled back into silence, wanting something that sounded like them. But Harry raised his head and said in a thoughtful voice, 'What about "Enacirruh"?'

Blaise and the others nodded their heads. But Draco looked at him, puzzled at how the other came up with the great name.

Seeing Draco's gaze Harry blushed and hurriedly explained, 'You know, Enacirruh is Hurricane backwards. And hurricanes are trouble, and unpredictable, and uncontrollable. Like all of us.'

Draco beamed at the interesting boy in front of him, Pansy let out a squeal and clapped her hands excitedly, 'Harry! That's brilliant!'

Harry blushed and ducked his head to hide it.

Blaise laughed and said, 'Ok, Enacirruh, we need a practice schedule to get you all back into shape.'

Goyle looked at Draco and said, 'Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow at 5:00.'

Harry looked to Draco and said, 'What position are you trying for?'

Draco laughed and said, 'Don't worry, you can have seeker, I'm not gonna try out this year.'

Harry smiled and said, 'Thanks, but playing Qudditch just doesn't make me as excited as it used to. I enjoy the simple thrill of simply riding a broom.'

Pansy smiled sadly and said, 'Alas, and to think that Slytherin could have actually had a chance of winning this year.'

Blaise said in a bored voice, 'Sorry to interrupt-'

'Sure he is.'

'-But we need to figure out a schedule here.'

Harry said in an easy voice, 'How about we practice tomorrow from 1:30 until 3:30? That gives us two hours. And then after try outs we can make room for watching the quidditch practices.'

Everyone nodded their head in acceptance and Pansy jokingly added, 'Yeah, Harry and Draco wouldn't want to miss out on seeing the hot bods of those Slytherins.'

Harry and Draco stood up, smiling evil smiles and moved towards her with mock menace.

'What did you-'

'-Say about us?'

Pansy looked from one boy to the other, 'Don't you dare-'

But Pansy's protest was broke off as she began to squeal in laughter as the two began to tickle her mercilessly.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'You got me to feel all these butterflies in side

In your locker I would hide

The truth

It's only you I see….'

'Alright, alright. Harry, you need to learn to actually play your guitar. I mean, you look hot as hell, all of you do, but you need to be able to play the instrument instead of it just being a prop. Right now it looks like you're trying to make it a weapon of some sort.'

Crabbe laughed and said, 'Harry, treat it like a woman; you stroke her with apt fingers in order to get her to scream for you.'

Harry snorted and Goyle said, 'Or a bloke. You stroke them and they yell the sweet nothings until your deaf.'

Everyone collapsed into heaps of laughter and Harry tried to get his fingers to pluck out the proper chords without looking, which resulted in him getting his fingers stuck in the strings.

Draco laughed and said, 'Ok, we'll practice this until you at least get used to the chords. And then it's off to watch the Quidditch tryouts.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

The Slytherins all looked out onto the pitch from their seats on the grass to see a crying Madame Hooch and an angry Professor Snape.

'Due to recent events it turns out that Qudditch shall be canceled. It seems that after the Gryffindor team lost it's seeker they complained fiercely against their unfair, and unexpected loss. Too sad. And Dumbledore seems to agree with the Gryffindors that it is not fair. So, he has deemed that Quidditch shall not continue this year.'

Harry glared angrily at Madame Hooch. How dare she cry when it was his house that was the one suffering? Those bloody Gryffindors, this was there way of getting back at him. Smirking, he stood up and smiled to Professor Snape.

'Potter, do you have something you'd like to say?'

Harry gave a dark smile to the professor, receiving a smile in turn, 'Sir, may I address my fellow students?'

Severus nodded his head.

'Thank you. Classmates, who here actually enjoys listening to those whining Gryffindors? Listening to their snotty comments and having them attack us in the corridors?'

When nothing but a grumble of anger reached his ears he continued on, 'Now why should we give them the satisfaction of showing how much they affect us by taking away this sport? Instead of rising to the bait that they are likely to dangle in front of us, we must continue with our witty comments, stripping them of their security, shadowing them in doubt about themselves, and their families. Strike them where it really hurts and show that we can't be hurt.'

Over the cheering agreement of his classmates Severus smirked and said, 'Potter, welcome home.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry sang out,

'No stop signs, speed limit,  
Nobody's gonna slow me down  
Like a wheel, gonna spin it,  
Nobody's gonna mess me 'round  
Hey Satan, payin' my dues,  
Playin' in a rockin' band  
Hey momma, look at me,  
I'm on my way to the Promised Land  
Whoo!..'

Everyone else joined in for the chorus,

'I'm on the highway to Hell!  
Highway to Hell!  
I'm on the highway to Hell!  
Highway to Hell, mmmmm…  
Don'tcha stop me!  
Ah! Ah! Ow!'

Then Harry turned into the rift with his guitar, blasting away at the notes, making it sound like a true rock concert.

'Harry, Harry. You have the guitar down, and you have the vocals down. And it's all real great, but you need to be able to do both at once.'

Draco cut over Blaise, 'Yeah, you can't be like Blaise, unable to work his brain and his mouth at the same time.'

Blaise scowled and aimed a hex at Draco, who easily ducked it and the hex absorbed into the stone wall and Draco laughed as he continued, 'Or unable to cast a spell and aim it at the same time.'

Harry was laughing but quickly stopped and turned around as he heard the rooms wards begin to go off. Casting a quick concealing charm he hid the musical equipment and snarled out, 'Weasley, what do you think you're doing in a classroom that has a 'Busy' sign hanging on the door?'

Ron's already red face became splotchy with anger and he fired back, 'I could ask you what you're doing in a room full of Slytherins.'

Harry snorted and said, 'I guess you must have been to sotted to remember, but let me try to clear things up for you a bit. You see, last Friday, in the Great Hall, I was resorted. And I was sorted into Slytherin. So, the real question is, what are _you_ doing in here?'

Ron stood silent, his eyebrows drawn together in anger.

'Come on, out with it Weasel. Are you here for a reason? Or just to try and scam on Harry?'

Ron's eyes instantly flared with a fire of hatred, turning to Pansy he said in a deadly soft voice, 'You told.'

Pansy blanched slightly but then stuck out her chest and said in a calm voice, 'Yeah. I figured Harry had the right to know that his best mate, sorry, ex best mate, was watching him undress with more than-'

But before Pansy could finish her sentence she was cut off by a hex coming from the end of Ron's wand. Ducking the spell, it ricocheted off of the stone wall and headed towards Draco. Stepping forwards, Harry put his arms up and drew the hex into himself.

Pansy let out a scream of terror as Harry glowed with black before crumpling to the ground. Pansy ran to Harry and pulled him to her chest, stroking his silky black hair softly. Draco turned to Ron, Crabbe and Goyle on either side.

'If you even talk to him, ever again, I promise that you will regret it.'

Blaise stepped forward and added, 'If you hurt him, at all, we will make sure that you are expelled instantly.'

Ron looked as if he'd swallowed chalk. Looking to Harry's collapsed body he gulped and nodded once, abruptly, before stalking out of the room. The boys walked over to Pansy to hear her sobbing.

Draco got down onto his knees and pulled Harry's wrist towards him, checking the pulse. Feeling a faint flutter he gave a slightly relieved smile and said, 'Hurry, lets get him to the hospital.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry pleaded with Madame Pomfrey, 'Come on, I promise that I won't be rough housing or anything. I'll play things safe.'

Shaking her head, the woman said in a loving voice, 'Harry, I just can't do that. You were hit with a mild form of the Avada Kedavra curse, it's amazing that you're still-'

Taking in a shaky voice she closed her eyes and then continued on, 'I can't let you out of here without making sure everything is proper first.'

Harry took the woman's hand and patted it soothingly, 'Then could we practice in here? We'd put up a silencing charm, and we wouldn't disturb the other patients.'

Opening up her mossy green eyes she smiled at him and then said in a false exasperated voice, 'Alright, alright, do as you wish. Just don't get over excited and harm yourself.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Don't worry, I'll be just fine.'

Smiling, the woman gave him a hug and said, 'If I had a son, I hope he would be just like you.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Then you would have a world of trouble on your hands.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry laughed as his new friends came into the medical ward and headed to his bed, each with their own instrument slung over their back.

Draco said in a jokingly angry tone, 'You know, before you passed out on us you could have lifted your concealment charm; it would have made it so much easier to find everything.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Sorry, I was a little preoccupied at the moment.'

Pansy walked over and laid her bass across the bed beside his, 'How are you doing?'

Harry shrugged and said, 'I've been worse. I mean, it hurts every once in awhile. But I can live with it.'

Pansy smiled and gave him a hug, 'Good. We were a bit worried about where we would find someone to fill in for you in the band. I mean, what with you leaving us hanging.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Wow, I just feel so loved here.'

Pansy smirked and said, 'Don't you know it.'

Draco snorted and Blaise said, 'Come on, now that we know he's physically alright, we need to see how good he is with his instrument.'

Draco put the back of his hand to his forehead and said in a woebegone voice,

'Oh, horrors be, our manager is Blaise Zabini.'

Harry laughed and said, 'You're a poet and you didn't even know it.'

Smirking Crabbe set up his drums and Goyle got his organ ready on the bed. Pansy put her bass' strap over her shoulder and Draco passed Harry his guitar.

'So what do we sing today?'

Harry laughed and said, 'I know.'

Strumming abit on his guitar he heated into the song and then joined his instrument with his voice,

'…Now that you're out of my life  
I'm so much better  
You thought that I'd be weak without you  
But I'm stronger  
You thought that I'd be broke without you  
But I'm richer  
You thought that I'd be sad without you  
I laugh harder  
You thought I wouldn't grow without you  
Now I'm wiser  
Thought that I'd be helpless without you  
But I'm smarter  
You thought that I'd be stressed without you  
But I'm chillin'…'

Laughing Pansy joined in, along with the smiling boys,

'I'm a survivor  
I'm not gon give up  
I'm not gon stop  
I'm gon work harder  
I'm a survivor  
I'm gonna make it  
I will survive  
Keep on survivin'…'

As they finished off, Draco and Harry letting their electrics slowly slide off, and Pansy giving a bit of a soft solo at the end before the complete finale.

Blaise got up and clapping his hands said, 'Amazing.'

As the six Slytherins laughed and joked in happy relief, another person frowned in another part of the castle; things were straying too far. His plans needed to stay in order, and these friendships would ruin those plans. He would need to do something if it didn't correct itself soon enough.

------------------------------------------------------------  
**Hi, I realize it took abnormally long time to get this chapter up, but I promise the next few chapters will more than make up for the wait. All I have to do is buckle down and get them typed out. -Glances at evil minion with whip- Shouldn't be too much longer.  
Thanks again to my fantabulous beta, my chapters wouldn't be half as good if you didn't make them make sense. Maybe you should help with my scrollies at the bottoms too? Haha, joking.  
But yeah, thanks to all the readers who have reviewed, you went past the alotted 50 reviews I wanted, you guys are one short of 60! But keep reviewing, because you guys are the ones that make me feel its all worth it, and I need to know what you think of evil Ron.  
I do not own the songs, I had no part in thos ecreative masterpieces. The first one is Highway to Hell - by AC/DC, the second song is Survivor - by numerous artists.**


	24. Making Pretty

Chapter 23

Harry woke up and rubbed his eyes, looking over to where Draco was just changing. He said through a yawn, 'So where exactly is this party going to be?'

Draco smirked and said, 'I can't say it aloud while in the Seventh Year dorm, you'll just have to wait until we show you.'

Harry grumbled and fought with his covers to get out of bed. Getting tangled further in them, he let out a yelp of surprise as he fell to the floor. Spread eagled, he stared up at the ceiling and said, 'Cream is such an ugly color.'

Snorting, Draco finished putting his tie on and walked over to Harry, 'Come on, just put on a t shirt for now. We'll pack our trunks and take them to the Slytherin dorm, and then we can go do the decorating.'

Trying to stifle a yawn and nodded his head at the same time, Harry scratched his head and stood up.

Draco quickly looked away and said, 'And you might wanna pull your pajama bottoms up.'

Looking down at himself Harry laughed and said, 'Merlin, thanks Draco. Haha, can you imagine me walking through the school like that?'

Walking to his trunk, he opened it to see his photo album sitting on top. Taking it out, he flipped open the book only to find the same, strange orange glow coming from the one corner of the picture, but now it had spread.

Looking at the faces in the photo he noticed they were all blurred and distorted. Curious at the fact that his pictures were warped, and that he felt no loss he closed the book with a thump.

'Whats that?'

Harry looked up into Draco's eyes and, shrugging, said, 'Nothing really. Just some pictures of my parents and their friends. You know, before they died.'

Draco walked over and looked at the book, 'Mind if I see? I always hear, from my godfather, that Lily was just a beautiful woman. Then he acts all strange and jumps right into talking about one potion or another.'

Harry looked at the one photo and noticed that the photo of his mother and him alone was still untouched. He had been young, and his parent's hadn't gotten him glasses yet. Smiling, he said, 'Yes, she was beautiful.'

Draco looked at the picture and said, 'I'm sorry. About your mum and your dad.'

Harry just shrugged and said, 'Don't remember my dad at all, and my mum; I only remember small things about her. What she smelled like, how her eyes twinkled when she laughed.'

Draco closed the book and gently laid it in Harry's trunk, 'Come on, andlet's go. Getting ready for the party will cheer you up.'

Harry laughed and stood up, 'Just don't allow people to sing Karaoke.'

Draco quirked an eyebrow at him and said, 'Carry-what?'

Harry shook his head and said, 'It is the worst torture ever invented.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry transfigured the old couches and tables into booths that were great for private snog sessions, and open areas that were good for anything. He had made the booths deep green velveteen, and the opened spaces were done in ivory snakeskin. The tables had been draped with a fabric that looked like a cloth version of oil. It had all the colors, gold, red, green, black; swirling and changing with lighting.

Looking up, Harry noticed that Draco was still busy setting up the sound system for the band, them, on the stepped up platform that was the stage. Draco had also told Harry about the quiet wards that were put in place so that lovers would be able to go as far as they wanted and others wouldn't be subjected to hearing their moans and screams.

Smiling, Harry thought about the plans for the party. The lighting would be pitch black except for the few moving strobes, and the glowing jewelry the girls, and some boys, were sure to wear. There was to be alcohol, lots of it, and sweets, and actual food, and any delicacy you could ever think of. Besides them there was supposed to be a band called 'Wicked' coming in to play. There was sure to be some drugs going on, after all, it was going to be a huge party.

'Harry, want to help me with setting these tables up?'

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and walked over to help Pansy set up the tables that would hold all the confectionaries.

'So, Panse, since there's gonna be who knows what going on in those booths, shouldn't we put some you know, stuff, in there?'

Pansy laughed and said, 'Sure, there is plenty of lubricant, and a huge selection of toys.'

Seeing Harry's face tinge slightly red she said, 'But don't worry, there are also potions to stop pregnancy. After all, we wouldn't want any of our house getting knocked up early, would we?'

Harry slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in to give her a noogie, 'You know, you really are a brat.'

Laughing, she squirmed away and said, 'Yeah, yeah. Now shoo, so I can finish this. You need to start getting ready.'

Looking down at his clothes, Harry took in his pajama bottoms and stained t-shirt, 'Do you really think so? I was thinking maybe this would be fine.'

Growling affectionately Pansy threw a towel at him and said, 'Go get ready you bloody git.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry stood in the shower, taking off the concealment charm he looked at all the scars adorning his body. There was a new one, a black skull over his heart. It was different then the others, the others hadn't been made with magic, they were made with brutal force.

Touching one of the newer ones Harry remembered why he had gotten it.

ooO Flashback Ooo

'Boy! Get the paper!'

Running down the hall stairs, Harry tripped over one of Aunt Petunia's slippers. Doing a face plant and sliding across the freshly waxed floor he banged his head against the wall.

'Don't you be marking up my walls or I'll beat the tar out of you! Bad enough I have to have you in my house for two months of the year!'

Harry got to his feet, rubbing his forehead and grumbled softly, 'You're not the only one suffering.'

Hearing the squeak of the recliner Uncle Vernon usually sat in Harry's emerald eyes widened for a moment as he knew instantly what was to come. His uncle had heard him, and his uncle wasn't one to forgive and forget. Not since he'd found out Harry wasn't aloud to use magic over the summer anyways.

Looking around the kitchen Harry noticed that the French doors were locked, but that the window over the kitchen sink seemed to be open. Sliding across the waxed floors in a pair of Vernon's old socks he grabbed the edge of the counter and hoisted himself up. Just as he was pushing the window out he felt a meaty hand grab the back of his neck.

'Freak! Insolent boy! I'll teach you to give respect!'

Letting out a yell of surprise Harry fell backwards, his arm catching on one of the steak knives from the dinner of the night before. Wincing at the pain of the deep cut he got ready for the first blow. Hitting his head on the linoleum floor he tried to hold on to consciousness.

'Filthy…little…side…show…freak!'

Each word was punctuated by a hit to Harry's body. Whether it was a kick, or a punch did not matter, they would all bruise up the same way.

Harry winced and tried to get away as he felt his magic welling up in front of it. He didn't want it to go loose, or he would be expelled. And if he was expelled, he would never escape this place. Never escape the numerous beatings.

So he let his body be beaten, trying to fall into unconsciousness, wanting release from the horror of his life.

He had never told anybody of this, he never could. After all, he was the savior of the wizarding world. If they knew of how he couldn't even defend himself against a muggle, they would probably kick him out of the wizarding community altogether.

ooO End Flashback Ooo

Shuddering as he again had felt the steak knife cut into his arm he dropped his arm to his side and turned his stinging eyes into the spray and then looked to the hand that steadied him against the wall. Seeing the burn scar he again felt the fog of another memory coming over him.

ooO Flashback Ooo

Harry smiled, his Aunt and Uncle had actually allowed him to watch Dudley open his Christmas presents this year. And this year he would be able to watch them eat their Christmas dinner.

Harry watched as Aunt Marge shoved a small package into Dudley's chubby fingers, 'Here Dudley. This is a gift I feel every man should have.'

Ripping open the wrapping paper Dudley found the key's to a dirt bike. Smiling he stood up and waddled over to her, giving her a hug, for which he was rewarded 20 pounds. On his way back to his seat he stepped on Harry's foot.

'Ouch! What was that for?'

Aunt Marge turned to Harry and said, 'Petunia, why are you allowing him to yell at Dudley so? I read an article the other day that a child can be severely hindered in life by the haunting memories of a yelling family member.'

Petunia looked worriedly from Harry to her son. Rushing over she smoothed back Dudley's fringe of blonde hair and turned to Vernon, 'Punish him, he could ruin our Duddlekins.'

Harry had turned to uncle Vernon with calm eyes, obviously the man could see his sister was mad. After all, they yelled at Harry all the time. But instead of amusement at the woman's talking, or understanding of why Harry had yelled out, there was nothing but fury. And all this fury was aimed directly at the small, raven haired boy.

'Boy, come here.'

Harry stood up wearily; he wasn't sure what his uncle would do. Never before had there been this large of an amount of fury in those close set eyes. Standing in front of his uncle he watched with wide eyes as his uncle took a puff of his cigar that Marge had gotten him for Christmas.

'Yes Uncle Vernon?'

'Put your hand out.'

Harry did as he was told, it seemed like he would get nothing more than a slap for his misdemeanor of raising his voice. Smiling at his uncle, Harry was happy that the man wasn't going to do anything horrid like what Harry had been imagining.

Instantly, before Harry could even move his hand away, Vernon had placed the smoldering end against the back of Harry's hand. From the connection between cigar and skin, black smoke rose, along with the acrid tang of burnt hair, and worse, burning flesh.

ooO End Flashback Ooo

Harry quickly made his way out of the shower and to the toilet, letting go of his lunch. He flushed the porcelain vessel and then stood up, wiping his mouth and walking to the mirror. Looking in it he saw the patchwork quilt he had become. Now, without the concealment charm, you could see the many scars that traveled across his flash like the roads on a map.

Shuddering, he made his way to his bed. Locking the dormitory door, he took out the potionary products he had bought the other day at Hogsmeade. Pulling out the Potions book he opened it to the page on the Scar Removal Potion. Looking over the ingredients again he checked them off mentally for having them on hand.

Once he was sure he had everything ready he began to concoct it. He began to sweat from the extreme temperature in the room needed to boil thee Bubotuber Puss.

Once it had simmered to the desired color of red, almost the same color of blood, he poured some into a glass and raised it in toast to the mirror.

'Here's to getting over, and forgetting the past, and moving on to who I truly am.'

Chugging back the thick potion he held back the grimace at the taste and then stepped back into his shower. Pansy had been right; he needed to get ready for the party.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry smirked as Pansy fussed over Crabbe and Goyle.

She was already completely done up. She had put on a hot pink tube top that just kept her from giving everyone a peep show. It had a rose done up in rhinestones over her left breast, the green stem curving under the right breast. She had a belly button ring in that had the word 'BITCH' written in pink cursive inside the bottom ball. Her pants rode so low on her hips that Harry was sure the only thing keeping them up was magic. Her hair had been put into two pig tails, which had then been teased and spiked, glitter somehow worked throughout.

Now she had turned her attentions to dressing up the boys. So far she had talked Goyle out of the purple mesh shirt, and had him donning a black t shirt that read 'I called your boyfriend gay…then he hit me with his purse' in green letters. She had given him a pair of cut off cargos that were being held up by a studded belt. His hair was spiked in the front.

Crabbe looked similar, but in the place of Goyle's t shirt he wore a SECURITY shirt he had gotten from a concert he'd been at that summer. His pants were carpenter jeans that looked like they'd been to hell and back. Right now he was fighting Pansy over putting any hair products into his shaggy mane.

Turning from those three Harry looked at Draco, a vision of calmness in his black mesh shirt under a long sleeved, open, red silk shirt. He was again wearing the same should-be-made-illegal pants that he had worn to Harry's resorting. Instead of being slicked back, his hair fell silkily into his face, and his face was relaxed, not in the sneer usually seen by other houses.

Smiling, Harry heard a voice screech, 'Oh my god! You all look to die for! Harry! Merlin, with you, less is more. The simple black tank and the regular jeans, mind you they look like the store wore them out for you, it's just too perfect. All you need to do is put those gorgeous locks of yours up into a hawk, and you're good.'

Turning around, Harry saw Elizzabeth. She had gotten rid of her white halter top and replaced it with a white bikini top, and she wore the same type of pants as Pansy, only she wore a belt with a large, blue and white, rhinestone studded buckle. Beside her stood Blaise, to look slightly formal he had wore a black t with a tux like front silk screened to the front. (Just get rid of the comma, not 'rhinestone')

'You guys don't look too bad yourselves. And there is no way you are going to mess with my hair. I like it the way it looks.'

Pansy turned to him and said with a pout, 'Pwease Harry. You'll look so handsome.'

Crabbe and Goyle pointed to their own hair and said, 'Come on, if we have to go through it, so do you.'

Draco laughed and said, 'Come on Harry, after tonight we make a rule that no one touches your hair unless you want them to.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry stood behind the curtain, his stomach contained at least a hundred butterflies, and he was sure that this 'Mohawk' Elizzabeth had given him made him look dorky. If people laughed, he would officially kill her.

But right now, she and her sister, Amy, were out announcing them.

'So please, give a large round of applause, to the ones who will knock your socks off, the ones who will make you cry for your mommas. They are the one, the only…Eee-na-cirruh!'

-------------------------------------------------------  
**Ok, I want you all to know that the abused Harry does have a place in the story. I started out with wanting to put this in, and if you look back I did hint at some abuse. If you look back at when he leaves the Dursley's, and when he buys the book, it all hints towards it, so please, no flames. I couldn't bear it.  
But the abuse also helps with him doing his usual investigative work later in the story, so look for subtle hints if you will.  
But yes, thanks again to those who hae reviewed, I live to know that people enjoy my writing. And thanks again to my beta, she is fantabulous.  
The next three chapters will be big explosions! So I will need a bit of time off for them, please be patient. They will be labeled the Big Bam Segments.  
Haha, like all the type? Want me to do more info like this at the bottom of my chapters? Let me know.**


	25. BigBam Part 1

Chapter 24

Harry looked to Draco; the blonde gave him a reassuring smile and then stepped onto the stage, instantly his voice magically filled the room.

'Hello gals and guys, we're here to give you a night you won't soon forget, even if you get so pissed you forget every other damned thing!'

Harry smiled and did a small rift on his guitar, warming up the audience. He felt the energy in the room rise as he settled down and let Draco continue to speak.

'So who here is ready to blow this bloody roof off!'

In answer the whole room erupted into cheers and yells. Draco turned to Harry and gave a curt nod of his head. Harry smiled and began to strum softly, intricately, almost like the beginning of a famous ballad,

'Help me to go on  
Even after the show is over

The Curtain is shut  
The music is scratched  
The lights are all faded  
But one…'

Harry let his soft voice trail off and then everyone else joined in as the beat picked up and became stronger, more alive.

'…I stand in the center  
Of this here stage  
My head bent low  
In a veil of silken hair  
Through which I see  
The mass of empty seats

But unlike the show  
I've just begun  
Like the rotations of the earth  
I continue ever on

Her wind is my breath  
My songs are her own  
My tears are her oceans  
Her open skies are my eyes

And I raise my head  
My neck straight with defiance  
I open my mouth  
And out bursts a song  
Not brash or harsh  
But soft and flowing

The seats begin to fill  
As my voice does the theater  
The spotlight shines  
On me  
The stage lights glow  
Ever softly

The show is over  
But I've just begun….'

Harry finished off the song with his own little guitar solo and then left Pansy to finish it off with her bass.

Harry had felt like he was in his own little world; no one had been there but him and the rest of the band. So when they were met with thunderous applause he was a bit shocked. Looking up, he smiled out at the crowd, which made them go crazy, hollering for more. Turning to Draco Harry gave a smile, not a sneer, a smile.

'I guess they like your lyrics Dray.'

Laughing, Draco smiled and said, 'You got it Romeo, you just keep crooning to them.'

Smiling, Harry motioned to Crabbe to start playing the one song that he knew would set off some screaming,

'Sometimes I feel I've got to  
Run away I've got to  
Get away  
From the pain you drive into the heart of me  
The love we share  
Seems to go nowhere  
And I've lost my light  
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night

Once I ran to you  
Now I'll run from you  
This tainted love you've given  
I give you all a boy could give you  
Take my tears and that's not nearly all  
Oh... tainted love  
Tainted love…'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Out in the crowd Elizzabeth smiled up at the five Slytherins, her sister Amy right beside her. Amy was watching Draco with intent eyes, studying his features, watching his every move. But Amy wasn't the only one who was concentrated on one of the members of the band. Somewhere, looking into their scrying water, a figure was bent over, studying the youths. Anger flashed across the watching eyes as he said in a low voice, 'You will not change what you were built for. I will make sure of it.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry smiled as they were backstage, 'That was too bloody awesome!'

Draco laughed and said, 'If it weren't for your bloody voice they wouldn't have been half as responsive. Not to mention that you're Harry-fucking-Potter.'

Harry smirked and said, 'Yes, I am the might, you shall all kneel before me.'

Pansy smirked and gave him a soft slap to the back of the head, 'Ham.'

Laughing, Harry turned around and caught her in his arms, 'My, my, seems like the damsel doth not wish to dance. Spin fair lady, and show them of your ethereal beauty.'

Laughing, Pansy was spun around, her studded belt glinting in the backstage lighting. In her giggles Harry missed the sound of the door opening, and two figures entering.

'Hey, you guys were awesome!'

Pansy turned to beam at Elizzabeth, 'Thanks. But who's the gorgeous gal with you?'

The girl in question blushed slightly, her creamy skin taking on the tint of a rose. Her eyes were hidden by the pale mass of silk that hung in front of her eyes as she ducked her blushing face.

Elizzabeth smiled even wider and said, 'This is my sister Amy.'

Draco, who had been studying the girl, asked, 'So Elizzabeth, you told us you'd lived in Canada, but you didn't tell us if you had lived anywhere else before.'

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'No, I'm a true Canadian, lived there my whole life. Freak snowstorms and sweltering summers.'

Harry again noticed the similarity between Draco and Amy, 'So where were you guys born? I mean, they have provinces don't they?'

Elizzabeth smiled widely and said, 'I was born in Alberta, the prairies. But Amy here, I'm not sure where she was born.'

The girl who had been silently studying Draco and Harry now spoke in a clear and confident voice, 'I was born in France. So my mother felt it was only right to give me a French name.'

Draco was now staring at Amy, a strange fire burning in his eyes.

Harry was confused so, with his full attention on the other girl, said in a puzzled voice, 'But Amy is not French.'

Smiling prettily, the girl let out a tinkling laugh and said, 'No, but that was not my birth name. Originally my mother had given me the French form of the name, Amièe.'

Draco's eyes were now wide and almost seemed like they would pop out of his head. Harry hadn't noticed the change in Draco, but apparently his friends had, and they looked delighted.

Harry simply smiled and said, 'Nice to finally have an actual conversation with you Amy, or should I call you Amièe?'

The girl flashed a charming smile at him and said, 'I would prefer Amièe.'

Harry nodded his head and continued, 'Well, Amièe, I feel that I need a drink.'

Draco shook his head and said, 'Yeah, we'll meet up with you later. I wanna have some fun partying though.'

Harry smiled and turned to Draco, 'So about this 'entertainer' you invited.'

Draco smirked and said, 'I think all of us should see her right now, the band, our manager, and our new friends Elizzabeth and Amièe.'

Harry smiled and said, 'Yeah, this way it'll be so much more fun to tease Draco about the female stripper he paid for.'

Draco sighed and said, 'I already told you, I didn't pay for a female stripper.'

Harry looked at him with a mock shocked face, 'You hired a MALE stripper? Well, at least now we know what sex you go for.'

Draco looked upwards, to the ceiling, and asked no one, 'Why? What did I do to deserve this?'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Pansy looked at the stall with wide eyes and a chalky face, 'Tattoos! Nobody said anything about needles!'

Draco pulled her closer and said, 'Panse, we have magic, our tattoos are much less painful than the muggle kind. Ours is done with wands, not needles.'

Pansy's face regained some color and she said, 'I guess that's not too bad.'

Harry smiled and tilted her face up to look into his, 'Come on Panse, this way we'll always remember this year.'

Pansy smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, 'Alright, I never want to forget any of this.'

Harry laughed and said, 'Good, now, what are we all getting?'

Elizzabeth looked thoughtful and said, 'I'm going to get a crescent moon on my shoulder blade, because I always seem to feel more awake at night, and the moon simply calls to me.'

Crabbe laughed and said, 'And I shall get a wolf on my chest, for I am a deceiving in outwards appearance. Many think me slow and clumsy, when I am fast and deadly.'

Pansy smiled at Crabbe and said, 'I shall get my name sake, with a letter of my name on every petal, on my ankle.'

Blaise smiled and said, 'I think I'll get flames crawling from around my navel. Because if you're bad, I'll burn you. Haha.'

Goyle laughed and said, 'Since I live for the music, I'll get a mic with the cord wrapped around my bicep.'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'What are you going to get Draco?'

Draco smiled and said, 'I'll get a dragon clawing up my side, after all, Draco is Latin for Dragon.'

Amièe smiled and said, 'I'll get a butterfly on my hip. For they are dainty and beautiful, and it is hypothesized that the flap from a butterfly's wings could cause a hurricane somewhere else.'

Draco nodded his head and said, 'I like all your guys' reasoning's, but I feel that the one I'll most like to hear is Harry's.'

Everyone turned to look at Harry. Pansy touched his arm and said, 'So what are you going to get?'

Harry looked at them all and said with a smile, 'Aww, you guys don't really wanna hear.'

Elizzabeth laughed and said, 'Of course we want to. We all told ours and why we're getting them, now it's your turn.'

Harry's smile grew as he said, 'No, I don't think I'm going to tell you.'

Pansy laughed and tackled him in good spirit, 'Tell me or I'll pummel you!'

Harry laughed and rolled about, 'No, no, anything but a pummeling from Pansy Parkinson!'

Everyone laughed, even Pansy, 'Come on, tell us.'

Harry laughed and sat up, pulling Pansy to his chest and then placing her on her feet, 'Alright, I'll tell you.'

Taking a deep breath his eyes took on a far off look and he said in a soft voice, 'Everyone knows a Phoenix rises from the ashes. When they die, they are reborn from their past body's charred remains, and then they begin life anew. They are beautiful, move gracefully, and have a sweet song, but they are also great in battle. They can help the injured with their magical capabilities, and they can carry a wounded soldier out of the midst of turmoil.

Before now I have not lead the perfect life, it has been filled with hurdles that I have overcome, and burdens that I have had to carry. But I have given myself a rebirth, and now I shall live again. I shall live how I want, but still within my need that others have of me. In gift of my new life, I give myself the tattoo of a Phoenix, spreading its wings, as my own, on my back.'

The group about him watched in speechless awe as this boy wonder in front of them changed back into the laughing, joking Harry of moments before.

'So who's going to go first?'

Harry laughed as he saw Pansy step forwards, 'I want to get this over with.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry shot back the glass of Twitchy Tequila, only to be overcome with an uncontrollable twitch in his eye. Laughing along with the others he watched as Draco shot back a glass of Loony Liquor.

Everyone was in the midst of laughing with Pansy as she went through the effects of her Giggling Gin when Blaise came forwards and said, 'Come on, you guys have to do at least one more song, everyone wants to hear your guys' voices once more before you retire completely.'

Harry sighed and struggled to his feet, 'I can only sing one song, that Tequila burned my throat.'

Pansy smiled and patted his shoulder, 'don't worry, I'll sing a girl's song. That way you guy's won't have to sing.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Up on the stage again Harry smiled at the crowd and hollered out, 'Did you guys miss us? Shout our name to let us know how much you missed us!'

Harry smiled widely as the crowd yelled out, 'ENACIRRUH!'

Laughing, Harry cupped a hand around his ear and yelled out, 'I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What did you say?'

The whole group smiled and laughed as the crowd screamed out, 'ENACIRRUH!'

Strumming on his guitar, Harry said in an exaggerated voice, 'Well then, I guess we better give it to them.'

Harry motioned to Crabbe and the drummer began to work his magic instantaneously, Pansy's voice catching into the rhythm of the strong beat.

'Uh huh, this my shit  
All the girls stomp your feet like this

Few times I've been around that track  
So it's not just gonna happen like that  
Because I ain't no hollaback girl  
I ain't no hollaback girl

Ooooh ooh, this my shit, this my shit

I heard that you were talking shit  
And you didn't think that I would hear it  
People hear you talking like that, getting everybody fired up  
So I'm ready to attack, gonna lead the pack  
Gonna get a touchdown, gonna take you out  
That's right, put your pom-poms down, getting everybody fired up…'

Harry smiled as the girls in the crowd began to sing along with Pansy, their voices rising into one, but Pansy's still leading the whole thing. Harry smiled and gave a wink to Elizzabeth in the crowd. Laughing, she blew him a kiss.

'…So that's right dude, meet me at the bleachers  
No principals, no student-teachers  
Both of us wanna be the winner, but there can only be one  
So I'm gonna fight, gonna give it my all  
Gonna make you fall, gonna sock it to you  
That's right I'm the last one standing, and another one bites the dust…'

Harry felt his amulet tingle slightly and he tried to ignore the sensation it spelled through his body, keeping his mind focused on hitting the rights chords.

'…Let me hear you say, this shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S  
This shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S  
Again, this shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S  
This shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S…'

Harry picked up the rift as her voice trailed off. Crabbe finished it off and Harry motioned to the rest of the group to get ready for the next song they had planned.

Smiling Harry started on the song's key line,

'Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Black Betty had a child (Bam-ba-Lam)  
The damn thing gone wild (Bam-ba-Lam)  
She said, "I'm worryin' outta mind" (Bam-ba-Lam)  
The damn thing gone blind (Bam-ba-Lam)  
I said Oh, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

Oh, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
She really gets me high (Bam-ba-Lam)  
You know that's no lie (Bam-ba-Lam)  
She's so rock steady (Bam-ba-Lam)  
And she's always ready (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
She's from Birmingham (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Way down in Alabam' (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Well, she's shakin' that thing (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Boy, she makes me sing (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)  
Whoa, Black Betty BAM-BA-LAM'

As the crowd roared with cheers and bellows for encores Harry shook his head and said, 'You guy's have been a really great audience, but now I feel that I have to go and get smashed!'

At laughter and more cheers from the crowd Harry smiled and stuck his hand up in the universal sign of Rock and Roll.

Behind him Pansy laughed and blew a kiss to the crowd, 'Good night, and good shakin'!'

The group walked off the stage as the group 'Wkiced' took their place. Harry felt his shirt sticking to his chest with the wetness of his sweat.

'Well, that was sure fun wasn't it?'

Laughing beside him Crabbe said, 'Did you guys get that same rush I did? I felt like I was weightless, that I could do anything.'

From behind him laughed Blaise, 'Well you sure as hell did good with that rush. There was an entertainment scheduler here tonight, and she said that she wanted to hire you guys for Christmas Eve. They're planning to throw a Rock and Roll Christmas theme, and she said you guys were the best she's seen in a long time.'

Harry smiled hugely and said, 'This calls for drinks! Tonight, I'm going to get sloshed!'

As the group settled down into a booth with Elizzabeth and Amièe, Pansy said through her laughter, 'A sloshed Harry, this I've got to see.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked at the glass of smoking liquor in front of him, he knew that Elizzabeth had said the name of it, but his mind was just too filled with his own thoughts to catch a hold of something as insignificant as the name of his drink. Throwing back his head he swallowed the whole drink and then felt his face pucker as the sour taste of it hit him full force.

Slamming his glass on the table he stared at Draco and said with a sight slur, 'There. You're turn.'

'…I'm reaching out to touch you  
In the middle of the night  
And I don't know if I've been sleeping  
But I hold my pillow tight  
Are you real or are you  
My imagination playing games  
I can't set you free  
You'll always be  
My one eternal flame…'

Draco smirked back and took his own glass, tossing it back he soon had steam billowing out his ears. Looking to Harry he smirked and said, 'This could go on all night.'

Harry looked over to the corner where Pansy and Crabbe were snogging, 'If they don't get a room soon I'm gonna have to end it on account of there indecency.'

Draco looked to where Harry was looking and felt laughter tumble across his lips, 'They sure don't waste any time, do they?'

Harry though, had turned his attention to staring at the blonde sitting across from him. Felling some unknown feeling in his gut he decided to drown it in another shot of whatever was in front of him.

Feeling his body float a couple inches off of the seat he looked to Draco with slightly intoxicated eyes and said, 'Your turn.'

Harry watched as the blonde threw back his head, his silk hair shining, free of the greasy gel it was usually slicked back with. He looked at the smooth planes of Draco's chest through the black mesh of his shirt, the slight color that lead to the new tattoo that adorned the boy's side, the chiseled features of the boy's face. His full and pouting lips, his strong jaw.

'…Your dreamy eyes  
They just won't say goodbye  
Well it must be my fate  
'Cause I just can't escape  
And the passion never dies  
Ohh, dreamy eyes  
No matter how I cry  
I just can't reach you  
Dreamy eyes…'

Draco felt Harry's eyes on him, and looked to the raven haired boy as he could suddenly sense Harry's feeling of arousal.

Looking the raven haired beauty over, he traveled up the toned chest, to the tanned flesh of his throat. The delicious neck leading up to the head perched atop of it. The mussed raven locks that fell about as if he had just had a great shag, his glowing green eyes that seemed to peer into your soul. Draco shuddered as he felt the flames of desire licking at his groin.

----------------------------------------  
**The first song Harry sings is owned by me, it is called _The Show_; but the other songs need some credit.  
****Second song: Tainted Love – Soft Cell  
****Third Song: Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani  
****Fourth Song: Black Betty – Ram Jam (H. Ledbetter)  
****Fifth Song: Dreamy Eyes – Christina Aguilera  
OK, Here is the first part of the Big Bam segment that I promised you. This one is pretty darn long, and took a long time, and the next one is going to be quite a lot shorter, so please no complaining, I think it kinda evens out.  
But I need reviews, personally I sorta think this is my favourite chapter so far. Tell me what you think.**


	26. BigBam Part 2

Chapter 25

Draco turned away from those emerald eyes and shifted in his seat, trying to hide his lust from the boy situated across from him. Harry, however, watched with twinkling eyes and a knowing smile.

Draco looked at Pansy and Crabbe and said, 'Before I have to see anymore than I want to, resulting in being permanently scarred, I think I'm gonna leave.'

Harry followed the blonde's eyes and in a laughing voice said, 'Do you think he's trying to swallow her? Or do you think his tongue has been swallowed and he's trying to get it back?'

Draco snorted and then stood up, 'Either way, I think that the view doesn't sit very well with this alcohol.'

Harry nodded his head in silent agreement and stood up, shuffling out of the shrouded booth.

'Harry, Harry!'

The two boys turned their heads to look for the owner of the voice.

'Harry, you were bloody brilliant, man! I mean, I already knew Draco and the rest were good, but you, well, I'll just say that there are quite a few girls looking for you.'

Harry smiled a bit at the brunette's compliments, 'Thanks Nott. But I think I want to get out of here, those shots are starting to get to me.'

Theodore seemed to perk up a slight bit as he, unabashedly, volunteered, 'If you wanted Harry, I know of this great place not many people go to. I could show you if you want.'

Draco noticed the sable haired boy looking Harry over. Feeling a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach, and some unreasonable sense of possessiveness he raised one lip in a snarl and said coolly, 'Sorry Nott, but Harry and I were just going to go and say goodbye to our friends and then get ready for bed.'

Theodore seemed to catch on, his eyes going back and forth between one astonished Harry, and the blonde Slytherin who was one of the most respected Slytherins. Deciding that he would rather live than make the blonde any angrier he said, 'Sure, just trying to help out.'

As the sable haired youth walked off he seemed slightly angry, Harry hadn't noticed as he was staring at Draco with curiosity.

Noticing Harry's stares, Draco bit out, 'What? Did that last shot do something to my appearance?'

Harry gave a snort at Draco's vain worry before asking, 'So, are we going to say good night to Lizz, or are we simply going to stand here all night?'

Draco took in the way the light reflected off of Harry's midnight hair, and the way it was currently tousled, I wonder if it looks like that after a wild romp in the bed. Looking to the boy's eyes Draco noticed that they weren't simply emerald, they were a very deep black around the outer rim, making the emerald stand out farther. A very interesting characteristic, and damnably hot as well.

Noticing that Draco was staring at him, Harry colored slightly before he had a great idea. Moving one hand to place on Draco's arm in a slightly intimate way and he said in a husky voice, 'Dreams can come true.'

Snapping out of his reverie Draco looked to Harry with clear eyes and asked in a startled voice, 'What did you just say?'

His eyes dancing with laughter and longing, Harry replied to the blonde's query in the same sensuous voice, 'I said that dreams can come true.'

Draco's eyes soon filled with understanding and an answering lust and he said, 'I think that I saw Lizz and her sister crawling off to bed awhile ago, maybe we should just go and head to our own dormitory.'

Harry smiled broadly and said, 'Yeah, that sounds best. That way I can get rid of my extra energy and get some sleep, not be roped into some fight with a drunken Slytherin.'

Harry smirked as he heard the band behind him singing.

'No, no, no, nooo  
Don't phunk with my heart  
Yeah  
No, no, no, nooo  
Don't phunk with my heart

I wonder if I take you home,  
Would you still be in love baby? (love, love)  
(love, love) In love baby?  
I wonder if I take you home,  
Would you still be in love baby? (love, love)  
(love, love) In love baby?...'

Looking at Draco he said, 'And I have to wonder the same thing as the song.'

Draco looked confused and then listened to the music. His eyes went wide, and then he smiled, 'Come on, we better hurry. I suddenly feel extremely claustrophobic.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked at the solid oak door in front of him, on a brass plate it read, 'Personal Rooms of Draco Malfoy.'

Looking for a door he was confused when he found none, turning to Draco he asked, 'Is there some concealment charm on the door handle or something?'

Draco laughed softly and pulled a potionary knife out of his pant pocket; slicing the tip of his index finger he watched the blood pool to the surface.

'No, no concealment charm. But there is a blood ward. To gain entrance you must shed blood, and the only blood it will take is blood that has been added with my magical seal.'

Harry lifted an eyebrow and said, 'I'm impressed, intelligent and a gorgeous bod to boot.'

Draco blushed faintly as he pressed the drops of blood to the oak surface. From where the blood touched the door fell away as if it had never been there. Stepping through the door Harry took in his surroundings.

He was in a hallway, the carpet was the color of jet, and thick enough that you sank ankle deep. The walls were chrome grey. Looking down the hallway, Harry noticed that the walls were covered with pictures of Draco, smiling with his Slytherin cronies. Between the photos at spaced intervals were several doors, the door knobs silver.

Walking to the very end of the hallway Harry opened the door that he instinctively knew was where the blonde slept. Stepping through his eyes widened at the decorating. In the centre of the room was a large round bed that was covered in thick pillows, and down comforters encased in emerald silk. The plush carpet surrounding the bed was midnight black, and the bare walls were a virginal ivory. He smiled as he noticed that he could still hear the music being played in the party, as if it was a sound system.

'…Take aim to prove you're not alone  
No prisoners, no fugitives  
And you're face to face with victory  
Hearts like a world you come to say  
The kamikaze pilot crashes  
As a phoenix rises from the ashes…'

Smirking, Harry thought of the tattoo on his back; the phoenix.

Before he could begin a closer inspection of the room he heard the 'click' of the door being shut, and the next moment stars were flashing in front of his eyes, his head pounding. It took Harry a moment to realize that Draco had slammed him up against the wall.

Looking to Draco to ask a question his lips were quickly captured in a kiss, it was soft and gentle. It was warm, and delicious. But needing more Harry quickly turned the caressing kiss into a rough show of need, his lips moving hard against those of the platinum blonde.

Draco quickly complied, opening his mouth and allowing Harry entrance to deepen the kiss.

Wanting to feel the warmth of his skin, Harry pushed off Draco's shirts while sucking on his bottom lip. Moaning, Draco leaned into him, his breathing becoming erratic.

Draco tore his lips away reluctantly and then ripped off Harry's black tank, admiring the tanned and toned flesh. Now that he was able to see Draco's body, Harry smiled at the creamy skin and flat abs. Brushing one finger against Draco's washboard muscles he felt a twinge of pleasure shoot up his spine. Draco also felt the contact, his body heating further at the gentle caress of his skin.

Wanting more than just kissing and simple touching, Harry moved quickly and slammed Draco against the wall. Now in control he ground his hips against the sly Slytherin's.

'…Tough love, you're hard to beat  
You're worth the fight  
It hits you where it hurts  
Oh are you tough enough, tough enough  
Tough love, you're hard to beat  
You're worth the fight  
Soul surrender to your heart  
You're tough enough, tough enough…'

Trailing small nips down the blonde's neck, he licked the hollow at the base of the boy's throat. Moaning out at the pleasure, Draco ground back, the contact of their abdomen's creating friction and sending shocks of pleasure through him. Unable to stand it anymore, Draco threw Harry off of him, wanting, needing, to be back in control.

Harry looked up at the blonde from the floor, his backside stinging, but the rest of him still wanting the glaze eyed boy who was staring down at him.

ooO Flashback Ooo

Harry looked up at Vernon Dursley, the man's face was as purple as a plum, veins sticking out in his neck. His latest injury was still stinging; the fall backwards had bruised his tail bone. Looking up at the man he tried not to show any fear, for that would bring on another onslaught of fists and feet.

Trying not to grimace as a drop of blood fell into his eye he thought of Hogwarts. Back at Hogwarts he would be able to delve further into his studies of magic, he would be able to laugh freely once again, and he would be rid of this cruel tyranny of his uncle.

'Listen to me boy! I told you the next time that I saw you with your books out on the kitchen table that you would have more to answer to than a simple cane.'

ooO End Flashback Ooo

Anger flooded through Harry's veins, adding fuel to the fire of his passion. He looked up at his blonde friend and smiled wickedly. In an instant he had acted. Swinging his foot, Harry caught a surprised Draco and tripped him. Draco hit the plush carpet and glared, only one had dared touch him before.

ooO Flashback Ooo

'What's the matter Lucius? You couldn't just let your daughter be taken and be thankful that I am leaving you your son? Your heir!'

The young boy looked over to his father, seeing the crimson tint of blood as it trickled out of his father's mouth. His father was being tortured with 'Crucio'.

'No!'

The man who had had his wand trained on Lucius now turned to the son, 'And you. You're sister would have been returned, eventually, possibly.'

At the man's words a chorus of chuckles rose from his servants.

'But now, well, now you shall never see her again. Crucio'

The boy gave no sound as he was tortured, he would not want to dishonor his father.

ooO End Flashback Ooo

Draco snarled up at the dark haired male who was now looking slightly worried towards him. Draco got to his knees and then launched himself at Harry. Hitting the tanned boy in the center of his chest he knocked the two of them back onto his silky bed.

'Bad move, Potter.'

Opening his mouth to retort, Harry was surprised when Draco began to kiss him, his tongue instantly delving into the other's mouth. Moaning, Harry lifted his hands and stroked Draco's sides, his fingernails rasping gently over the others ribs.

Suddenly Draco retracted his tongue and took Harry's bottom lip between his teeth, biting down. Harry gasped out in surprise and dug his nails into the other boy's back. Crescent shaped grooves forming under his nails.

While Harry was busy digging his nails into Draco's back, Draco took advantage and ripped out his belt, throwing it into a corner of the room behind him.

'…Take it up against the ropes  
I've been there where you hold your hopes  
Where the fires of passion burns the waiting heart  
We can break the red tape hustle  
Now that's my kind of muscle…'

Harry eased up on Draco and smirked slightly as he listened to the song. The passion inside of him certainly was burning. Closing his eyes his lips twitched silently.

'Bloody hell! How in Merlin did you do that?'

Looking at the blonde with an innocent expression Harry did a slight pout and asked, 'Why do you automatically think it was me?'

Draco groaned and tried to keep his head as he replied, 'Because you're the only other damnable one in here. Not to mention the only one who could possibly want us both naked right now.'

Harry took advantage of the shocked and slightly miffed boy above him and flipped him so that their positions were reversed. Looking into the liquid silver below him, flashing emeralds heated up just before the contact was made.

Draco cried out as Harry entered him, the tight pressure inside of him sending spirals of pleasure and pain shooting through his body; the pain of not even being prepared before Harry entered him only hieghtened Draco's pleasure. Not waiting for either one to stop Harry thrust hard and in a slow rhythm. Sweat began to break out across his back as he continued to pound harder.

Opening his grey eyes back up, Draco looked through the haze of pleasure and pain to look into the eyes of the one who now possessed him. Raising his hips in time to the other's he ground upwards, forcing his lover deeper.

'…The stamina to end the runnin'  
The armor when the night comes gunnin'  
To steal your eyes with blind ambition  
Beat you down with competition  
You got tough love on your side  
When your eyes see red  
And on dead-end streets  
And hunger feeds the heart that beats…'

Harry held himself above the slightly smaller boy with his strong arms, thrusting harder and faster into the blonde one. He smiled at the contrast between them. He himself was so dark, raven hair, tanned skin, and flashing emerald eyes. But his lover, his lover was creamy, and with platinum hair, and those piercing grey eyes.

Thrusting again he tried to hold back until he seen the glimmer of orgasm in the other's eyes. Biting his bottom lip, where just moments ago the blonde had done the same, he willed himself to hold on.

Draco felt his body begin to tighten and roll in the wake of the coming orgasm. Digging his nails into Harry's back he willed himself to keep his eyes open. Harry felt the others nails dig in and smiled, soon.

Unable to hold out any longer Harry yelled in release. As Draco felt Harry fall over the precipice of orgasm he himself soon followed, biting Harry's collarbone to keep from screaming what was on the tip of his tongue.

Once the waves had stopped, and he was laying their, limp beneath his lover, he mumbled softly into the others shoulder. Needing to say it out loud.

**------------------------------------  
****The songs above are not owned by me, they, respectively, belong to others.  
****First: Don't Phunk With My Heart – Black Eyed Peas  
****Second: Tough Love – Patty Smyth  
Sorry about having to repost this, but I had a big mistake I had to correct, sorry for any inconvenience.  
And again, huge props to my beta, she is the best.**


	27. Morning After

Chapter 26

Harry closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath, smelling the sweet tang of citrus. Sighing, he let out his breath and curled closer into his pillow. His legs stretching out on the mattress, the cool of the silk sheets….his bed didn't have silk sheets.

His eyes snapped open as a pair of strong arms tightened their hold around his waist. Realizing where he was Harry relaxed slightly, no one was after him, and his Uncle was far away. Sighing, he rolled over and stared into the sleeping face of his blonde lover. Raising a hand he pushed a stray lock of the ivory hair to cup behind one of the delicate ears.

Closing his eyes as the sweet breath of his lover rolled over him he decided that he needed to get up. He would let Draco sleep in; it was a Sunday after all. Slipping silently and carefully from the other's arms he stood up and almost yelled out in pain.

Biting his bottom lip he said in a soft whisper, 'Liquor the demon drink.'

Moving over to his clothes he slipped into them before thinking of attempting anything else. As he lifted his shirt to put it back on a piece of silver metal glinted as it fell. With his quick reflexes, born of a seeker, he caught the shining metal before it had the chance to awaken the sleeping boy on the bed.

Turning it back over in his hand he smiled at a feeling of peace and contentment that fell over him. Looking at the swirling colors of the amulet he wondered at the three there. Emerald green, liquid silver and the palest blue. And written on the flat back, 'Rewop'.

Again wondering at the powers of the amulet, for it was obviously anything but ordinary, he felt the room spin away. Only he and Draco were present, and through the darkness he made out the outline of a figure some distance away. It was sitting, and shaped like a girl. But he couldn't tell who it was.

As the face of the figure turned to him he felt the amulet suddenly heat, not to the burning sensation at his resorting, but more strongly than any other time.

Shaking his head he looked once more over it and then slipped the chain around his neck. It was a good thing it had somehow been lost in the frenzy of shed clothes, otherwise there would have been some very awkward questions asked.

Pulling his black tank over his head he tucked the amulet under the shirt and then ran a hand through his messy hair. Feeling the throbbing of his hangover he let out a pained breath and began to search Draco's rooms for some potionary supplies.

After several minutes of searching, Harry found the ones he was looking for. Thankful that he had finally memorized the instructions, Harry began to whip up a revitalizing potion.

Finishing it up, Harry threw back a glass thankfully; the headache almost instantaneously gone. Filling up another glass with the clear potion he cleaned up, Draco would most likely need one as well, considering how long they had been doing shots for.

Getting back to the bedroom Harry smiled at the sight before him. Draco had now moved so he was spread eagle on the bed, using as much bed space as could be possible. His platinum hair lay in contrast against the emerald silk of the bed.

Walking closer he placed the glass of potion on the bedside table and his eyes widened as they landed on the photograph he had found under his bed the other night. The small girl with the missing teeth now looked familiar, along with the boy with the mussed hair. And the woman and her husband, he had seen another photo of them before. But why would Draco care for this family, it wasn't his….

Startled Harry sat down on the edge of the large bed, suddenly it all clicked into place.

Draco's parents had died awhile ago, when he was 12 or something like that. Harry had heard a story about their house being blow up, and it had never made sense to him, how could one of the most powerful and prominent wizarding families just be blown up? And Draco had survived, the only one they had found after the accident had been Draco. He had been sitting on his front lawn crying, black soot covering his face, fresh wounds cut open on his skin.

Harry shuddered at the visual; that had all happened right before their first year.

But the young girl with the missing teeth, she didn't fit. As far as he knew, Draco hadn't had a sister. But it couldn't be denied, the girl and boy couldn't be anything but siblings, not even cousins looked that similar.

But what had happened to Draco's sister? Had she been killed in the same explosion? Why hadn't Draco ever talked about her? How old was she?

Then Harry put the picture back, before he dropped it.

Elizzabeth and Amy, or was it Amièe? Anyhow, Lizz and Amy had said that the younger one hadn't been born in Canada, but in France. Harry knew for a fact that one of the Malfoy Manors was in France.

And the girl in the photo couldn't be more than three years younger. Amy was only two. They hadn't said anything about Elizzabeth and Amy actually being blood related, and although they did look slightly familiar, there were some large differences between them…

Standing up, Harry walked from the rooms, his head spinning with these new revelations. He didn't look where he was going, his head filled with these thoughts. Hearing someone shout for their friend he came back to the present.

Right now he was standing in the Great Hall. People were laughing and talking all around him. Some had slept in and were missing, and others looked like they were about to fall asleep in their oatmeal.

Seeing Elizzabeth he smiled and walked over; he hadn't seen her since before they had gone on stage for their second performance.

'Hey Lizz, where did you go last night?'

Elizzabeth's head shot up, her blonde hair loose and slightly mussed. She was in a black t shirt that had words written across it in hot pink, 'Good Girls Are Bad Girls Who Don't Get Caught'. She had on a pair of hot pink pajama pants, so he was pretty sure that she was still in her night clothes.

But Elizzabeth wasn't alone, Amièe, he'd decided she was Draco's sister not Elizzabeth's, was also sitting at the Seventh Year table.

'Hi Amièe, I didn't think you would be up.'

Smiling up at him, the younger blonde shrugged and said, 'I better get going. I have to talk with someone.'

As Amièe walked away Elizzabeth winked at Harry, 'I didn't expect to see you this early either.'

Harry blushed and said, 'Did you see us leave? Or did someone tell you?'

Elizzabeth smiled and patted him on the back, 'I saw you guys leaving after talking with Theodore Nott.'

Harry nodded his head and said, 'Yeah, you guys were the last ones to see us.'

Elizzabeth smiled and said, 'No, I think that Draco sure saw a lot more of you.'

Harry couldn't think of anything to say, so he began to fill up his plate with food, hungry from last night, and embarrassed by the conversation.

Elizzabeth continued on, 'I don't know why you would be embarrassed. You two are absolutely perfect for one another, and hot beyond compare. And I mean, the two of you are so brave-'

Harry looked up sharply from his jammed toast that was halfway in his mouth and half out, 'Fwut dur oo ean ave?'

Elizzabeth snorted and said, 'Say it don't spray it.'

Swallowing the sugary goodness Harry licked his lips and said, 'What do you mean brave?'

Elizzabeth picked up and apple and took a bite, taking her time to chew it and swallow.

Harry glared and tapped his fingers on the top of the table, 'Come on, what did you mean by saying we're brave?'

Elizzabeth swallowed her apple, and shrugging her shoulders, said simply, 'Well, what with the different view points on homosexuality. I think it's very brave that you're willing to show the public that even a public icon can be homosexual. I just think it's great!'

Harry looked at her and broke out in a teasing grin, 'Lizz, would you happen to have sexual thoughts about the same sex?'

Smiling wickedly Elizzabeth said, 'I'm not choosy as to which team I play for.'

Laughing slightly Harry said, 'Lizz, I need to talk to you seriously.'

Sobering up immediately Lizz looked at him worried, 'What's wrong? Tell me who made you upset and I'll beat them up!'

Smiling that she was ready to go to fight for him Harry said, 'Well, it's a couple people really. But it's mostly about last night.'

Looking at him Lizz said in a thoughtful voice, 'If Draco hurt you, I love him like a brother, just like you, but I couldn't handle him hurting you, Harry.'

Harry touched her arm gently and said in a soft voice, 'Lizz, it does concern him, but he didn't hurt me.'

Nodding her head for him to go on she listened.

'You see, when you said we were brave you got me thinking about what you meant. And the first thought that came to mind was of Voldemort.'

Seeing the look of confusion Harry sighed and said in a soft, sad, voice, 'Voldemort wants to hurt me as badly, and often, as possible. And if he found that I cared for Draco, at all, he would try and get at Draco. And I can't let that happen.'

Elizzabeth's eyes filled with mist and she said in a choked voice, 'Harry…you're going to break his heart.'

Feeling his own heart breaking into pieces, Harry swallowed past the lump in his throat and said, 'But it has to be done.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco moaned and stretched in his bed, his fingers looked blindly for the warmth that should be there. Not being able to feel any trace of the heat that he looked for he cracked open an eye and met those of blue.

The silver Meeval seemed to smile as it hummed a good morning.

'Easy to be happy when your head isn't splitting.'

As Draco grumbled over the pain coursing through his head he watched the dainty beast jump to his bedside table, next to a clear glass of what looked to be water.

'Looks like Potter forgot the pills to go with it. But it'll at least soothe my throat.'

Taking the glass Draco lifted it to his lips and drank deeply. Shuddering, he looked to Bitz with wide eyes and said, 'That sure as bloody hell wasn't water. But whatever potion he made, sure did get rid of that headache quickly.'

Standing up he smiled down at the animal and scratched its back, 'Sorry for being gruff with you. But did you see Harry this morning?'

As the Meeval looked to the door Draco sighed and said, 'Looks like he's a morning person…' looking at his back in a mirror Draco smirked at memories of the night before, '…not to mention a night person.'

Standing up, Draco stretched and walked to the bathroom, 'Looks like I'm going to have to hunt him down.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

As soon as Draco walked into the hall he felt his gaze drawn to the raven haired boy. Smiling that Harry hadn't changed from last night's clothes he began to walk towards the table.

Feeling his medallion heat up against his chest, looking up from his cereal and into Elizzabeth's eyes he said, 'Draco's coming. Please, be there for me after.'

Elizzabeth looked at him and said in a soft voice, 'I'll try. Just don't ask me to choose between you.'

As Draco walked up to the table he smiled and said, 'So how is everyone this morning.'

Elizzabeth put on a cheery smile and said, 'Awesome. Amy brewed me an Upper potion, it's supposed to make you really wide awake, like the equivalent of 5 cups of coffee. So until about…10:00 I should be alright.'

Smirking, Draco turned to Harry, 'So Harry, are you awake after the party last night?'

Harry took a deep breath and raised his eyes to look through the dark locks of hair that fell into his face, 'Draco. We need to talk.'

Watching with sad eyes Elizzabeth made room for Draco on the bench between her and Harry. Draco sat down beside Harry; a mask of impassiveness was across his features.

'Draco…last night.' Taking a moment Harry's emerald eyes seemed dull of emotion, 'Last night was a mistake. When we were doing shots I had had way too much to drink, and my body's just never worked all that well with alcohol. I feel for you and all, but as a friend, we could never be anything more.'

Harry felt for a moment that his heart would never be the same, like the pain would never end or lessen. The amulet of Rewop seemed to burn into his chest, as if it was branding him.

Draco nodded his head in acceptance and said, 'Yeah, I was going to get to that, because it seems neither of us handles our alcohol very well. I was going to ask you what had happened last night, because I don't remember what happened after we started doing shots.'

Harry felt a sudden void of anything at Draco's words. Draco felt nothing for him; Draco hadn't even remembered their night of explosive love making. He was nothing to Draco.

Suddenly an angry growl could be heard as Elizzabeth stood up from the table. Pushing a shaky hand through her hair she looked at them with angry, flashing eyes, before stalking off. As she stormed off Harry could have sworn he'd heard a muttered, 'idiots.'

Looking after her Harry's eyes caught those of Amièe. Surprised for a moment at the anger in the depths of the blue, the palest blue…

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Elizzabeth stormed out of the Great Hall, pulling up her pajama pants as she stepped on the hem of one leg with her black slippers.

'Stupid…moronic…dumblebums!'

As she neared a corner of the stone wall, once her ranting had quieted down a bit, she heard the raised voices of two men arguing.

'…He is my son. I have the right to talk with him!'

'Merlin's beard man! He doesn't even know that his father exists.'

'Well, that's your fault, isn't it? You're the one who's-'

'Memorandum Changeurion!'

Her eyes going wide Elizzabeth searched her memory for the explanation of that charm. Her mind going back to the book passage she had read just the other day:

MEMORANDUM CHANGEURION

This spell is a very complex, high ministry level charm. It is used primarily in psychiatric help to ease the more morbid of memories with more tame ones. But it has also been used by dark intent wizards and/or witches to change the memories of their minions, or of their enemies.

It is very old and only the more powerful of wizards should attempt, for if the recipient mind is able to deflect it in time the caster could find their own memory being changed to that of the memory they were to instill in the recipient…

As she was lost in thought Elizzabeth lost part of the flow of conversation.

'…So Severus, what is it that Potter has done this time?'

In a snarling voice the potions master replied, 'It seems that he has stolen some of the supplies in my own personal closet. And all of these supplies are of those used for a complex potion that is used for inducing higher power.'

Dumbledore's frown could be heard through his voice, 'Severus, now that he is in your house, don't you believe that it would be better if you went easier on him and didn't automatically assume it was him?'

Severus' disjointed reply could be heard, 'Of course. So used to the Gryffindor. Sir, if it's not him it has to be Ronald Weasley.'

It seemed that the headmaster was very capable of the Memorandum Changeurion charm as he said, 'True, but do you honestly believe Mr. Weasley intelligently able to complete a potion of that higher skill level?'

Severus' confused voice could be heard, 'I suppose not. But believe me; I will get to the bottom of this.'

Elizzabeth heard footsteps falling away as one man walked down the hallway. Straining, she tried to listen for the headmaster's voice breathing, to know where he was.

'Ms. Dael. It seems that you need to have a little charms lesson. Let me be of some assistance to you – MEMORANDUM CHANGEURION!'

Elizzabeth had a moment in thought where she felt intense sadness for the potion master. It appeared that Severus had a son, and for some reason, Dumbledore didn't want the man remembering that fact.

But all of these thoughts were lost in the blast of a slightly orange-ish glow.

------------------------------------------------------------  
**I would like to lay claim now, that the spell Memorandum Changeurion belongs to myself, but I have no qualms about anyone else using it towards their story purposes.  
And Ineed to thank my beta again, She did a great job, and she saves my very fine arse everyday. If it weren't for her these stories would fall flat with all the punctuation and gramatical errors.  
PLease keep reading, asI hope things will certainly pick up a faster pace, except for those slow ones that are needed. And I hope that it gets more exciting.  
But, please keep reviewing. I lurve all of you who do.**


	28. Dealing

Chapter 27

Harry continued to look into Amièe's eyes and said to Draco, 'I think I better get going. I have some things I have to do.'

Watching Harry stand up Draco nodded his head and said, 'Alright. I'll catch p with you later.'

Looking back at his cereal Draco sighed and tried to figure out how he could have been so wrong about Harry. Last night they had seemed sober enough, the two of them, to know what they were doing. No drunken man could possibly do what Harry had done last night.

Feeling someone sit down beside him he gave a growl, 'I would rather be alone right now.'

'Hey Daco.'

Whipping his head up and to stare at the girl sitting beside him Draco peered into eyes of the palest blue, her face had a delicate bone structure, and her platinum blonde hair was flowing softly about her face.

'Amièe?'

Smiling widely the girl said, 'You weren't fast enough.'

For a moment Draco was struck dumb and then he gave a sad laugh, 'Sorry, but I've had a lot to do. I was going to come for you as soon as I'd gotten the information on your whereabouts.'

Smiling the girl hugged him tightly, her head curled into his chest, 'I read about mum and dad.'

Stroking his sister's hair Draco kissed her forehead and said, 'They never stopped loving you.'

Not crying, as was expected of Malfoy children, the two sat and held each other for a long moment of silence before Amièe broke it.

'Do you love him?'

Taken aback Draco looked down at his recently reunited sister and said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

Looking at him with a sad smile she said, 'I see. You do know that it'll get you killed. Don't you?'

Draco looked away from his sister's knowing gaze and he said, 'All those years in Canada must have given your brain frost bite.'

Pushing him softly Amièe said, 'You prat. I lost you for seven years, and I've lost mum and dad for good now. I will not lose you again. Now you have to forget about him.'

Standing up Draco said, 'I love you and all Amièe. But you have no idea what you're talking about.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry rested his head on Pansy's shoulder crying out on the soft bed. His dark hair had fallen into his face and he said, 'This is stupid isn't it?'

Opening her mouth to respond Pansy didn't have time.

'I know it is. I should just give him the choice. He's a grown man; I need to think of other's feelings instead of mine. Right Panse?'

Opening her mouth again Pansy shut it when he started talking again.

'But I can't, the stupid git would end up being stubborn, and getting his self killed.'

Stroking his hair gently Pansy put a hand over his mouth and said, 'Harry. Although Draco can be as stubborn as you, doesn't mean he's stupid. He's lived through some awful shit.'

Harry pulled back and wiped his face on his sleeve, 'I know, I know. His parent's are dead. And apparently Amièe and he were separated some time before coming to school at Hogwarts.'

Pansy looked at him curiously and said, 'How did you know all that?'

Harry sighed and said, 'Panse, I have to tell you about what happened last night, and this morning. I want you to promise no to hate me.'

Smiling reassuringly Pansy said, 'Harry, I could never hate you.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco walked aimlessly through the halls, thinking over his recent reunion with Amièe, and of last night's festivities with Harry. Although he was plenty excited about Amièe, he just felt that the Harry one was a more serious issue at the moment.

Not watching where he was going he ended up knocking on the door to Severus' office.

'Whoever is out there better be bloody well dieing!'

Smirking at his godfather's rage Draco said, 'Hello Sev. Nice to see you too.'

Smiling at his godson Severus stepped back to allow the blonde boy entrance. He couldn't explain it, but every time Draco came to talk to him of his problems, as numerous as they were, he was always left smiling. He always had found it particularly fascinating when Draco would speak of the other students.

'What is bothering you tonight Draco?'

Draco sighed and sat down in one of the fashionable, comfy chairs, 'I am so confused.'

His eyebrows scrunched up Severus looked at Draco as he went back to looking in his supplies closet, 'About what?'

Draco looked into the fire and said simply, 'Harry Potter. You know how I always tell you about all our fights and everything, right?'

Nodding his head, and feeling a strange pull at the mention of Harry, Severus figured that it had to do with the fact that the boy was constantly raiding his supplies kit. But instead of saying anything he waited in silence for Draco to continue.

'Well, at the party last night, he sang with us, and he was really good. And then we were drinking shots. And, well, one thing led to another. And, Sev, I think-'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

'-I think I'm in love with him.'

Stroking the raven hair Pansy said in a soft voice, 'Harry. You need to think this over for yourself. Just think it over for at least tonight. And then, once you come to a conclusion, you can either tell him everything, and let him make the choice, or you can pretend nothing happened.'

Smiling through his tears Harry kissed her cheek and gave her a hug, 'Thanks Panse. You're a true friend.'

As she pulled away gently she put on a warm sneer and said, 'I am a Slytherin.'

Laughing Harry wiped away a tear and said, 'Yeah, a Slytherin through and through.' Kissing her cheek he continued, 'If you don't mind Pansy. I think I'd rather be alone for a bit.'

Nodding her head in understanding acceptance Pansy stood up and said, 'Don't worry about it Harry. Everything will right itself in no time. You watch.'

As Pansy left the room Harry began to silently cry again. What had he done? He had pushed away the one person he had cared for in a long time. The one person he had loved. He was such an idiot.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Pansy flopped down onto the couch beside Millicent Bulstrode and said, 'Sometimes boy's can be real idiots.'

Closing her book Millicent smiled and said, 'Did you just figure this out?'

Pansy snorted and said, 'How can they be so daft, when obviously their both crazy for each other?'

Millicent looked slightly confused, but continued to listen; after all, she was the understanding one of the House.

'I mean, you have an amazing night of sex, and then you lie straight to their face and tell them that it was nothing. Or that you didn't remember it. How thick can you get?'

Millicent looked thoughtful and nodded her head, 'I guess.'

Pansy smiled at the girl and said through her laughter, 'You have no idea who I'm talking about do you?'

Millicent smirked and said, 'No, but it was much more entertaining then my book.'

Laughing Pansy said, 'Trust me, in this school, these sorts of 'entertaining' things could keep you going for years.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco looked up as Elizzabeth came through the Common room entrance. Smiling he waved her over. Elizzabeth sat beside him with a painfully confused look on her face.

Worried Draco touched her shoulder gently and asked, 'What's wrong Lizz?'

Sighing sadly Elizzabeth said, 'You know, after I left you guys in the Great Hall, I was angry and remember stamping down a hall. And then I remember being in the library, doing my charms homework. But, the thing is, I didn't have any charms homework.'

Looking at his friend Draco said, 'Yeah, that's a fairly minor problem. I had the best sex of my life, with the guy I have been infatuated with forever, and then he brushes it off as the result of too much alcohol.'

Lizz got up angrily and said, 'This is pointless, I shouldn't have even bothered telling you what was bugging me, because you're too damn centered on your own life.'

Draco looked slightly angry before he said, 'I'm sorry Lizz. But it just gets me so frustrated that-'

Interrupting her friend Elizzabeth said, 'Draco, just go to bed. In the morning everything will be better.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Walking through the door of his personal rooms Draco kicked off his clothes from that day and pulled on a pair of cotton pajama bottoms.

Continuing to his bathroom he quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth. Maybe Elizzabeth was right, everything may be better in the morning. Maybe.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Dumbledore paced his study angrily, his twinkly blue eyes no longer dancing with amusement, but burning in angry thought. The boy was finding out too many things, he was too smart for his own good.

He'd pieced together the Malfoy puzzle already, how much longer would it take for him to figure everything else out. Maybe a couple years, months, days?

Grimacing Dumbledore walked over to his mirror and spoke to it, 'The boy is finding out too many important factors, and the rest are beginning to get restless, my power is simply becoming insufficient. The boy could prove real trouble if this is not all dealt with quickly.'

Looking into the mirror he smiled and said, 'That's it, I can kill two birds with one stone.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry was woken by the sound of people talking, sitting up he said, 'Blaise? What's going on?'

'It's Dumbledork. He's looking for you.'

Harry smiled as he heard the other boy's yawn, 'I'll be back soon.'

Climbing out of his warm bed he walked into the common room and sat down on the velveteen couch and said, 'Why do you want to talk with me…Sir?'

Harry had made sure that the address of formality was a beat later than the rest of his question.

Smiling with those damnable twinkling eyes Dumbledore spoke in a soft and calm voice, 'My dear boy, it seems like Voldemort has decided to take a more aggressive form of attack against Hogwarts and its students. For the safety of the others you are needed out on the field. Harry, you have to defeat him once and for all, otherwise our world will fall back into ruin once more.'

Harry looked at the man scathingly and said, 'I will simply let my friends know and gather my things.'

Dumbledore shook his head and said, 'No, we must leave immediately.'

Harry stood tall and said, 'My friends have the right to know where I am going.'

Dumbledore shook his head and said, 'This is a matter of life and death. I shall inform your friends of your whereabouts at tomorrow's morning meal.'

Harry looked at the man thoughtfully and said, 'I guess. I don't want any more to die for this stupid crusade.'

Since Harry had turned to the entrance he had missed Dumbledore's sneer and heard only his words, 'Don't worry Harry, there shouldn't be that many more deaths wasted on the fighting.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Elizzabeth watched with wide eyes. She had originally come downstairs to try and muddle through her thoughts once more, but when she had seen Dumbledore and Harry she had felt uneasy and stayed on the staircase.

Feeling outright fearful for Harry when she had seen Dumbledore's sneer she decided that she would wake the other's and let them know right away. Harry, she was sure, would need their help on this.

---------------------------------------------------------  
**This chapter here is not beta'd because of some horrid circumstances. My beta and her friend were in a car accident on Thursday, and even though my beta only suffered minor scratches and bruises her friend is now in a coma. So I hope that all my readers will show their kindness in prayers, and well wishes.  
I am extremely sorry for the length of time it took to get this up, but I have just started a new job, so I had to work hard at that for a few days, but now everything should be fairly normal again.**


	29. The Truth

Chapter 28

Elizzabeth turned and ran back up the girl's staircase. Her blonde hair actually flew behind her in her hurry. Tripping on the carpet leading through the door she fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

'Mmmm….What's da matter? It's….4:00 in the morning!'

Looking up from the floor Elizzabeth could see Millicent looking at her clock, one hand to her head.

'Harry…..Dumbledore…Pansy…..trouble…..help.'

As Elizzabeth gasped for breath Millicent sprang into action and woke up Pansy, 'Panse, come on. You need to wake up.'

Groaning the girl rolled away from her friend and said, 'Whatever it is can wait until morn-'

'Pansy, Dumbledore just took Harry off to fight Voldemort!'

Pansy abruptly sat up at Elizzabeth's rushed words, in the process hitting heads with Millicent, 'Oooh, Pansy.'

'Sorry Millie. Elizzabeth, what did you just say? I think I misheard.'

Elizzabeth stood up and said in an exasperated voice, 'Pansy, go get Draco and the boys, the meet me in the common room in fifteen minutes. I have to go get some other people.'

Millicent touched Elizzabeth's arm and said, 'What would you like me to do?'

Thinking for a moment Elizzabeth replied, 'Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco rolled over to try and get away from the persistent humming. He wanted some more sleep, he needed some more sleep. His day hadn't been all that great, and he wanted to forget it in the deep recesses of sleep.

'Go away Bitz. I need to try and forget him. I need to try and forget everything.'

When the small animal burrowed under the covers and poked its face into his he sat up and yelled into his rooms, 'Alright, alright! Why do I have to get up?'

Looking down at the small silver beast he glared angrily, 'My day was crappy, alright? And now I want to get a good sleep, is that too much to ask for? A nice sleep?'

As the sleek body slipped off his bed he sighed and went to roll back over when he felt sharp teeth tug at his toes. Sitting back up he growled and sat on the edge of his bed, getting ready to leave the warm cocoon of his covers.

As he was standing up his wooden door burst open and a petite, brown beauty burst in, her hair wild and her eyes worried, 'Draco, Draco! Get up! We need to hurry and get back to the common room.'

Draco rushed over and said, 'Pansy, what's the matter? What's gotten you so worked up?'

Pansy pushed away his hands as he tried to hug her and said, 'Just get dressed; Elizzabeth is going to explain everything to all of us together. But you need to hurry; it's about Harry.'

Hearing the brunette boy's name Draco scowled and said, 'Whatever he did you just have to take him to Madame Pomfrey, she'll fix him up like usual.'

Hearing a huff behind him he was slightly surprised when Pansy shoved him and said, 'Get your stuff on and get down to the common dormitory. Otherwise I will be forced to hurt you Draco.'

Draco grumbled while pulling on a pair of old blue jeans, and a worn cotton t shirt. Mumbling about stupid idiots who can't take care of themselves and always proving to be a pain in the side.

Turning around he glowered at Pansy and asked, 'Now what?'

Angrily Pansy grabbed his arm and pulled him down the staircase behind her, 'Now we have to meet the others in the common room to discuss how we're going to help Harry.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Elizzabeth ran down the stone passageways, her bare feet numb from the cold. Ignoring it she reminded herself that Harry had greater troubles, hers were not so great.

Arriving at the Potion Master's door she knocked once before quickly entering, 'Sir! Sir!'

A ruffled looking Snape quickly made his way into the office and said, 'What is it Ms. Dael? There is no fight or blood shed in the Slytherin dormitories I should know about. Is there?'

Shaking her head Elizzabeth said, 'No sir-'

'Good, then I believe you should head back to bed, as it is very late, and way past curfew.'

Nodding her head Elizzabeth continued, 'But sir, there will be blood shed, and we need to help stop it from happening!'

Looking at her he asked in a slow voice, 'What are you talking of Ms. Dael?'

'Sir, if you could please just come with me, I'll explain it all soon enough.'

Nodding his head he yawned once and said, 'If there is blood shed involved I am in a position of required intervention.'

Smiling sadly Elizzabeth said, 'Yes, but I think you will find that you will want t do this, duty or not.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Pansy finished descending the stairs listening to Draco rant.

'…I had the best night of my life, with the most fantabulous person I've ever met, and then he turns around and tells me he was drunk and had gotten carried away! I mean, that was the sorriest excuse I ever heard. I mean, what game is he playing at? Oh, and then I go down to see my godfather, only to have him act all funny, once again, when I mention Harry-bloody-Potter's name. And my sister, oh yes, I have a sister, she comes over and after a quick reuniting tells me not to even consider going with Harry, because he's trouble for me-'

In the center of the common room, in front of all the others, Pansy turned around and yelled at Draco, 'Will you shut up! You're such a bloody imbecile! Isn't it obvious he cares about you? It wouldn't take a bloody fool to figure it out. He was worried for your safety, worried that Voldemort would turn his sights on you, as a way to get at Harry. He didn't want to put you in that position, so he lied! Even though it probably hurt him, just as much as it hurt you, he did it to save you. Get it? He did it to save You!'

Elizzabeth jumped up from the overstuffed chair she had been sitting in and said, 'That bloody codger!'

Draco nodded his head in agreement with Elizzabeth and said, 'Right, I mean, I can't believe he'd be stupid enough to believe-'

'No Draco. I wasn't talking about Harry. I was talking about Dumbledore. Ok, firstly I'm going to tell you about what I just remembered, and then I'll tell you my original intent behind this.'

Draco sighed and took a seat beside his godfather; looking at the man he rolled his eyes in a can-you-believe-this way. But Snape was looking at Elizzabeth with confusion, and curiosity, and with his full attention.

'This morning, well, I guess yesterday morning, seeing as how it's 5:00. Anyways, after the morning festivities with Harry and Draco, exclaiming their forgetfulness of the night before, I stormed out into the halls. But I soon found myself about to turn a corner when I was stopped by two voices raised in argument. One was arguing about not having spoken to their son for over 17 years, while the other was casting a high level ministry charm!'

Looking at Severus Snape Elizzabeth saw his eyes changing. Where they were once confused and slightly dull, they now held knowledge and fury. Smiling sadly at the man she said, 'Severus, he's taken your son.'

Looking to his godfather Draco was surprised to see the man snarling, 'Sev? You never told me you had a son.'

Snape glared at no one in particular and said, 'Because up until now my memories of my son were continually replaced, taken away from me.'

Standing up Snape looked at Elizzabeth and said, 'So now I remember my son, I remember all that I've done to him. Now tell me where that bastard took him.'

Elizzabeth shook her head and said, 'All I know is that he said that now was the time to defeat Voldemort once and for all. When Harry turned his back to begin leaving, to fight, the old man snarled at him! And I think….I think Harry feels that he would do _anything_ to keep more people from dieing.'

Snape growled and said, 'We need to find Harry and help him.'

Draco's confused eyes suddenly grew wide and he stood up, 'Well, what are we waiting for? Let's damn well get out there and start looking! We need to find him.'

Pansy looked at Draco and said in a soothing voice, 'Draco, maybe it would be best if you stayed behind.'

Draco whirled around and said, 'Why in blazes would I stay behind while he's out there, willing to do ANYTHING to stop this war?'

Pansy looked at her hands and said, 'Because he might do ANYTHING to save you if he felt you were in danger.'

Draco stared at her surprised for a moment and said, 'But Harry doesn't care for me that much, does he?'

Elizzabeth stepped forward and said, 'Of course he does you dumb cluck! Why do you think he was willing to break his heart in order to save you?'

While Draco mulled this over in his head Millicent spoke up and said, 'I'll stay behind to alert the rest of the school. They may want to help him in this time, and there are quite a few who would want to know if the wizarding savior was to go into war.'

Draco snarled at the part about 'wizarding savior', but other than that stayed silent. Snape looked like he was ready to kill something, or more of, someone. Elizzabeth was running around, quickly making packs for them.

Putting two fingers in her mouth Pansy let out a whistle to get everyone's attention.

'Now listen up. We don't need supplies, for all we need are our wands. And we need to get there now and help Harry, afterwards we can snarl and growl, and sneer at whoever we want. But for now we need to get there to make sure he doesn't get hurt…or worse.'

Nodding there heads in agreement everyone in the Slytherin common room quickly walked towards the fireplace. Each person carried their wand, and a hand full of floo powder. They would floo to the ministry to alert them, and then apparate to the most likely destination of the war…Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry looked around at the stands, the house colors were long gone leaving behind cold, emotionless pillars. Feeling a shiver run up and down his spine he turned around to see Dumbledore staring at him intently.

'Is there something that you wanted to tell me?'

Dumbledore's eyes merely twinkled and he said, 'Harry, how far would you be willing to go to win this war?'

Harry looked at the aged headmaster and then turned away to look at the woods off at the side, 'I'm willing to do anything. I just want all this death to stop.'

Dumbledore let out a soft chuckle and said, 'That's good to hear. I was afraid you were rethinking this fight. And that could have some very disastrous results.'

Harry thought over the man's words and then whirled around, 'Would you have merely let me walk away?'

The twinkling in the headmaster's eyes did not dim as he said, 'No. I have too much staked on the outcome of us winning.'

Harry glared at the old man and said, 'But if I refused to fight, you couldn't make me.'

Dumbledore let out another soft chuckle, the sound chilling Harry to the bones, 'But you see Harry, I could. There's this very interesting spell, it can make you do things you wouldn't normally do. It can make you do things against your will.'

Harry sneered at the man and seemed indifferent to the hooded men who came out of the woods around him, 'You would use an unforgivable? Imperious?'

Dumbledore merely smiled with his twinkling eyes and said, 'Harry, we can discuss this later, 'For now I feel that we have a war to fight.'

Harry now noticed the hooded men around him, 'Just answer me one thing. Why exactly am I fighting these people? Why would I now feel that they are a great evil, when I learn that the most highly respected wizard of them all is a dark wizard in himself?'

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off, 'Because Harry, magic can't be separated into good or evil. The only magic that can be called evil is the magic cast by an evil being.'

Harry turned to see a man with red eyes, and a slit nose, 'Voldemort.'

Nodding his head in greeting the man stepped forward and spoke to Dumbledore, 'Don't you feel it is right for a man to see what he is fighting?'

Dumbledore smirked and gave a wave of his hand, where the vile creature that was Voldemort once stood, now stood a kind looking man. His features were slightly drawn with worry, but he was handsome none the less.

'Voldemort.'

'Dumbledore.'

Harry watched the exchanging of greetings before asking, 'So what is the true story here?'

Voldemort spoke again, his voice smooth and warm, 'The true story is that Dumbledore here is indeed a very powerful wizard. He must be in order to complete all his killings, and keep a hold on all his Memorandum Changeurion charms. You see Harry, Dumbledore here has made you a history that was nothing like your origin. James Potter never existed. And Lily Evans, sorry, Lily Snape, was else wise happily married. And her sisters, Petunia Dursley, and Poppy Pomfrey, were very close to her. And from her wondrous marriage, one that every witch and wizard had attended, she and her husband, your father, Severus Snape, had a baby boy.'

Harry's brow was scrunched in confusion and he asked, 'But sir, why would so many people turn up to my parent's wedding?'

Smiling the man answered, 'Call me Tom, that's what your parents used to call me. But to answer your question, your parents were highly famous. They, along with a few of their friends and family, had created a group called the Rewop.'

Smiling at the memories the man said, 'We used to laugh at it all the time; Lily had come up with it. She said that if Dumbledore was true power, we were completely backwards. So we were Rewop.'

Harry smiled despite himself. Even though all the stories he had been told were false, he enjoyed the stories of these parents that he couldn't remember. One of whom, had never acted as though there was an ounce of care for Harry.

'But sadly, those times ended. Dumbledore had been quiet for several years, but he soon made up for that. He was a true force to be reckoned with. He was killing muggles, and muggle born left and right. He was even killing purebloods. He was uncontrollable, and highly unpredictable. Many of the members of the Rewop, The Malfoy's, the Snape's, and many others had defied the fear of Dumbledore by having children. But you see, with the large masses of magical energy that was being used in the time of these births, there were a few children who were born with extreme magical capabilities.'

'Aright Tom, I think the boy here has learned enough for now. How about we get down to business.'

Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed it, making the gesture slightly painful, 'I do believe that Mr. Potter here-'

'Snape,' Harry wrenched his shoulder free of the grasp of the aged man, 'My name is Harry Snape.'

Tom's face broke into a smile as Harry continued, 'You had me afraid of the man who was my father. You had me believing that the people, who were doing the most good, were doing the greatest evil. You changed around my past and my memories so that...so that…'

Dumbledore smiled as the boy trailed off. It seemed that even though he was quite a genius he hadn't figured it all out yet, 'I changed your past so that you would not turn against me. Because, as Tom put it so greatly, many children born in those years were born with great magical capability; and you see Harry, you were one of the more prolific ones.'

Giving the boy a moment to let it all sink in Dumbledore raised his wand and pointed it at the ebony haired boy, 'Imperio!'

Instantly Harry felt as if he was in a fog, his mind was for once free of worry.

'_Kill Voldemort.'_

Harry smiled and corrected the voice, 'But his name isn't Voldemort. It's Tom. He was friends with my mum and dad.'

'_His name doesn't matter. Kill him!'_

Harry's brow furrowed in confusion and he turned towards Tom.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco ran out to the Quidditch Pitch, it was extremely dark out, but everything seemed t glow with the light cast off by the moon and the stars.

'Hurry! Who knows what's happening!'

In front of him Draco watched his godfather, Harry's father, run. But behind him he could hear his friends, Harry's friends, running. They were all worried over the same person, but doubted that any of them, save Severus, felt as strongly for Harry as he did.

Crashing into the back of the dark man in front of him Draco opened his mouth, 'What-'

'Shhhh! Listen.'

Draco quieted and he listened. He could hear several people talking. One of them he had heard never heard before, another he had recently discovered deep feelings for, and the third. The third was a voice he had heard before, and on the worst days of his life. The day that his sister was taken, the day that they were tortured for another refusal and on the day that his parents had been killed.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry raised his wand, he knew the curse. He knew the one that would kill you instantly. It had been used on his mother, and on him. He knew that that spell would kill Tom. Because Tom wasn't an extremely powerful wizard, he was just average.

But he didn't want to kill Tom, not like the voice told him to, he wanted to kill someone all right, but not Tom. He thought it over in his muddled brain, how do you kill someone, who has such immense powers?

'_What are you waiting for? I know you know how to do it. So do it already!'_

Harry gave a sad smile; he did know what to do. Throwing off the fog of his brain he pointed his wand at the older man there, grabbed the burning medallion around his neck and yelled out, 'HSINIF!'

---------------------------------------------  
**Here's another chapter. I promise to try and have up the last few chapters in this coming week. It shouldn't be too hard. And this way I can start working on an original story, my own characters and everything.  
If you guys want me to post this other story on FanFiction in some department, I'll figure it all out, either review telling me so, or send me an email.  
Luving you guys always.**


	30. Death

Chapter 29

Draco watched with wide eyes as Harry, as if in slow motion, turned to face Dumbledore. As the raven haired boy tremblingly raised his wand, and yelled out, 'HSINIF!'

'That stupid git.'

Draco turned to look at the older man who had spoken. Touching his god father's arm and asked, 'Why is he stupid? What spell is it?'

Snape never turned to look at the blonde as he spouted,  
_'HSINIF  
This spell is primarily used by extremely powerful wizards and/or witches who need a more powerful death spell than the AVADA KEDAVRA. It is used on witches and/or wizards who have created horcruxes, or who may have achieved higher magical capabilities then that of their birth.  
__It is labeled as restricted because of the side effect on the caster. When used the HSINIF spell uses up a majority, if not all magic. This usage usually leads to death of both the recipient and the caster…'_

Finishing his explanation Severus pointed out onto the Quidditch pitch and said in a trembling voice, 'Look.'

Draco's eyes were watering as he thought of Harry, his Harry, giving up his self for the rest of their kind. Following Snape's arm he was shocked to see the auburn haired boy standing in the midst of three swirling colors. From his neck strained an amulet and it seemed that the colors were coming from the amulet.

'It's my fault. It's all my fault. I made him write that stupid essay as a means to try and instill a sort of threat for his misbehavior. I made him write out the paper, and he's obviously remembered it, 'Snape's voice was strangled with a sob.

Draco watched, feeling helpless. The teenage boy he felt a strong liking for, no, more than like, love. The boy he loved, was about to die, and he was helpless. Looking to the ground Draco felt a tear slide down his cheek.

Hearing a harsh scream, one that would leave the throat raw, Draco looked up to see blood rivuleting from the corner of Harry's mouth. Shaking his head he stood up, but he was quickly caught by Snape.

'No, your interference could only make it worse. Your magic will throw him off and that could kill him. This way there's a,' choking the man continued on, 'This way there's a chance he could survive.'

Draco looked into the inky eyes of his godfather and said, 'I can't stand by as he dies trying to save us.'

Severus looked back onto the pitch and said in a hollow voice, 'There's not much else we can do.'

Letting his wrist slide back to his side he had a second to think before another scream ripped from Harry's mouth. Turning to the others crouched in the wood's he seen the whites of their eyes as they turned to look at him.

'Harry looked alive when he was singing. When we had that party and he stood up on the stage he felt invincible. He sent off an aura of extreme prowess and power. Tonight, let's help him feel that power again.'

After finishing his little speech Draco noted the nodding of heads of his friends; Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Elizzabeth. Thinking for a moment he said, 'It's a muggle song, like all our others, but it's perfect for this moment. We played around with it last year, now we need to sing it this year.'

Turning to look ahead again he stared at Harry as he let the words pour from his body, his heart, his soul.

'Look at us here today  
Lots of talking with nothing to say  
And if I seem somewhat afraid  
I'm surviving, that's all I am  
I'm surviving to be a better man  
I'm surviving, that's my plan  
Just surviving…'

Draco smiled as the other's joined in with him, their voices moving together, as if with a magic of their own. Twisting to fold into one powerful voice.

'…Yesterday, I was sure  
But today I don't know anymore  
Thought I was brave till I saw  
My frightened reflection in a dark corridor  
Now I'm surviving to be a better man  
I'm surviving with an emotional plan  
I'm surviving, so please understand  
I'm surviving, surviving

There are millions of people out there  
Trying to get by in a world that don't care  
People smiling through clouds of despair  
Protecting the wounds until they repair  
They're surviving the best way they can  
They are surviving every woman and man  
Just surviving with an emotion plan  
So keep surviving…'

Draco's eyes were closed, so he missed the sudden brighten of the glow about Harry, how he shifted to stand more aggressively, how he seemed to suddenly throw off an extreme aura of power.

'…Maybe it's my shattered pride  
That's why I get scared of emotional ties  
Don't let them in, otherwise  
You'll smile like a fool  
But you'll be hurting inside  
So I'm surviving through the insecurity  
I am surviving, I got hope inside of me  
So I'm smiling through all the insanity  
I'm surviving, surviving

I was moved by the way that you said  
Don't be afraid, I won't leave you for dead  
You took my soul and mixed up my head  
You left me alive  
You should have killed me instead  
Now I'm surviving, that's all I am  
I'm surviving to be a better man  
I'm surviving, that's my plan  
I'm surviving, surviving  
Surviving.'

Draco looked up to see Harry; he glowed as if all the power in the world tried to escape through him. The tunnel of power connecting him to Dumbledore seemed to be almost substantial, as if one could reach out and feel the solid thrum of power. Unable to stop himself Draco let his eyes follow along the strain of magic to Dumbledore, almost instantly he wished he hadn't.

As he watched Draco heard the old man's scream turn into gurgles as blood frothed out of his throat. And his skin began to melt, and drip off of him as if melted wax. The bone and other internals showing through before the whole thing simply turned to ash, to float away on the soft breeze.

Draco looked from the spot were the powerful man had stood before, and looked to Harry. He felt his heart stop at the sight. His beautiful, strong Harry was standing as if an empty shell. The light was gone from his emerald eyes and he looked pale and drawn. Harry swayed for a moment before falling.

Rushing forward to try and catch the other boy Draco knew he wouldn't make it. Feeling his fall he was slightly happy when his lover was caught by anther before he could hit the ground. Harry had collapsed into Tom's arms, and Snape, his godfather, Harry's father, was running towards them from the woods.

'Severus, I do believe this is your-'

'Is he alright? Tom, is he dead?'

Draco himself was worried, too worried to care about his own curiosity at all that had happened. Standing up he walked over and pushed Harry's raven locks back from his face. He looked over the strong features of the tanned Slytherin and whispered beneath his breath, 'Don't leave me.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

_The dark haired boy looked over at his sweetheart, his dark eyes following her every curve, and every movement. His ears catching her every word and sound. He smiled widely as she chewed her bottom lip, a sure sign that she was confused about something.  
_'_Lily, what has you stumped now?'  
__He chuckled as emerald eyes looked up to his astonished, 'How did you know?'  
__Kissing her nose lightly he put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze, 'Because you always chew your bottom lip when you're confused.'  
__Laughing softly she said, 'I just don't understand this charm. It is supposed to give you extreme luck, but it is very unlucky when cast upon someone.'  
__Severus smiled and said, 'It is lucky for the person the charm is cast upon, but the person who casts the charm is left with nothing but bad luck. You see, this charm is really just projecting one person's luck onto another, giving up their own luck.'  
__Her eyes shining in understanding the girl said, 'You know you should become a teacher, you're so good at explanations.'_

FLASH

'…_Do you Severus Snape, take this woman, Lily Evans, to have as your lawful wife? To love and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?'  
__Looking into the shining emeralds across from his jet he smiled as he said, 'I do.'  
_'_With the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride.'  
__Dropping his lips to those of his now wife, he pulled her into his arms and ignored her blush at the whole of the wizardnig community that had gathered to watch them. Pulling back he smiled down at her and kissed her once more, gently, before saying, 'They're all jealous.'  
__Laughing softly she asked, 'Jealous of what?'  
__Chuckling softly he said, 'Jealous that you were able to snag me.'  
__Laughing with him she pushed him playfully.  
__A man clapped him on the shoulder, turning to look Snape smiled at his best man, 'Well Snape, I do believe it is customary that the best man gets to kiss the bride.'  
__Laughing Snape said jokingly, 'In most cases, but not when the best man happens to be Sirius Black, otherwise I might not get her back.'  
__Hearing laughter Snap turned to look and said, 'And neither does my little brother.'  
__Lupin shrugged and said playfully, 'Can't say I tried Lily. So now I guess you're stuck with him.'_

FLASH

_Lily held the small boy in her arms, she smiled as he reached out to the small orb that Lucius had hovering in the air. She could tell already that her boy would be adventurous. That could mean big trouble.  
_'_Oh Lily, he's so adorable.'  
__Lily looked to her sister and smiled. Poppy Pomfrey had brought him into this world, but the woman still acted as though it was her first time seeing him.  
_'_Yes. He and Draco will make all the girl's swoon.'  
__Lily chuckled with the angelic Narcissa, 'That they will. How could they not, what with their father's being Lucius Malfoy, and Severus Snape, who were sex gods themselves.'  
__Lily joked with her old friend, they had been very close at Hogwarts, and had both been two of the founding members of Rewop.  
__Placing the two children on the floor the adults continued in their talk of the two boys' future.  
__The blonde haired baby giggled with the brunette. They had grown up together so far in life. They were now friends closer than brothers.  
__As the brunette began to cry the blonde crawled closer and held his hand, trying to quiet the other baby. If the parent's came that would only lead to one being taken home. And that wouldn't be good. Draco could sense it._

FLASH

'_No! Leave my baby alone! Sev, get Harry!'  
__Severus ran to the crib where his son was peacefully sleeping, picking up the small toddler he bundled the soft skin in a blanket and said, 'Lily, you take Harry! Take him somewhere safe! I'll find you and-'  
__Before he could give his son to his wife, and have the two of them apparate out of there to safety he was cut off by his wife's scream.  
_'_LILY!'_

FLASH

_Severus followed his old headmaster into the back of the funeral home, 'Dumbledore, can you hurry up please. I need to get my son back from Hagrid. Not that I don't trust him, it's just that I don't think he quite understands the definition between harmless, and harmful.'  
__Chuckling the older man turned to Snape and raised his wand, 'I'm sorry to have to do this Snape, but you are getting way too close to the truth.'  
__Snape had only a moment of confusion before his eyes widened ay the whispered, 'Memorandum Changeurion.'_

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco watched as the rest of the school slowly filtered in for breakfast, their happy chattering grating on his nerves. How could they still go about laughing and chatting with friends about dreams, boys, jokes, when Harry Potter could be dead?

Looking to the table top he tried to fight the burning at his eyes. He would not cry in public.

'Draco? Are you alright?' Elizzabeth put a comforting hand on his arm.

_Am I ok? No, I'm not ok. I'll never be ok again, not until those horrible images have been erased, not until I have him back in my arms, warm and responsive, _'I'm fine'

Sitting to the side where Harry usually sat Pansy looked at him with worry flashing in her eyes, the eyes that still flashed with life, even though they were surrounded by dark circles. Wanting to ease the strain on her face Draco put his hand on hers and said, 'He'll be alright. He's Harry potter, he has to be.'

Seeing his friend give a small smile he said, 'It shouldn't be long now until Tom gives his explanations to the school.'

Nodding her head Pansy turned back to her cold cereal and pushed it around in her bowl, her eyes still filled with worry.

xxxxXXXXXXXXxxxx

Walking into the Great Hall Ron noticed that the usual position held by Dumbledore at the Head Table was now filled by a younger looking man; a man who looked quite presentable. Looking him over Ron felt a strange feeling that he hadn't felt since that summer with Harry.

Turning to Hermione Ron asked her, 'Who do you think that is?'

Hermione was busy looking over the table worriedly, but she still replied with a noncommittal, 'A substitute?'

Ron looked at her with disbelief before asking, 'What are you doing?'

Still worried but turning her attention to him Hermione said in a concerned tone, 'I don't see Harry anywhere.'

Ron glowered at the mention of his former friend's name, 'What do you care where that pratt is? He was probably up all night partying with his Slytherin pals. It is a Monday you know.'

Hermione gave him a look of disapproval before standing up and saying, 'If he was partying with his friends, why would they all be looking so worried? And besides that, Harry was still a good friend.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Tom looked out at the students, they were all there; all except for the one laying in the hospital wing. Looking out he tried not to let his sadness creep into his voice as he began, 'I am sorry to let you all know that you have been deceived.'

Giving a moment he let them react; their shocked voices carrying up to him.

'Albus Dumbledore was a powerful wizard, it is sad to say that his power was not always used towards the good of all. Dumbledore spread large, fables about Tom Riddle. He said that Tom and the other members of Rewop-'

But he was cut off by several voices with the same question, 'What's Rewop?'

Hearing the questions Tom gave an acknowledging smile and said, 'Actually, Rewop is the true name of those that many of you have been taught to hate. To scorn. They're more commonly known as Death Eaters; a name given to them by Dumbledore.

Now, as I was saying many people have been touched by the dark side that was the true Dumbledore. And the majority of those people did not remember their encounter with Dumbledore that day, as the old professor would perform the MEMORANDUM CHANGEURION curse.'

Once again Tom gave a moment for the shocked voices to speak out again.

'Last night Dumbledore came to the Slytherin male dormitories, looking for one Harry Potter. Sadly enough he found the poor boy and lured him outside of the school walls, saying that Voldemort had come to finish off Hogwarts and the students.'

Many people had given small gasps or screams at the name of Voldemort.

'Now, I hope you all know that Voldemort was never real, Dumbledore had merely taken that name and made all fear it, and the harmless person behind it.  
As I was saying about last night, Harry was taken outside of Hogwarts walls to the Quidditch pitch. On the Quidditch pitch Harry did meet the terror of the wizarding world. And the poor fool got rid of him.'

Lifting his eyes from the podium to the students he asked in a soft, yet clear voice, 'How many know of the HSINIF spell?'

At his words many of the students merely stared dumbstruck, where as all the seventh years paled considerably, a few letting out screams.

'Yes, Harry Potter attempted the HSINIF spell last night, and as of right now he is in critical condition. There is a high chance that he will not make it to this Christmas, and I am sorry for all who were connected to him.'

At these words the entire populations of the school began to talk amongst themselves.

'Harry did this for us?'  
'Why would he risk his life like that?'  
'Why wouldn't he make it to Christmas?'

Draco stood up dully and walked to the head table, his back straight and proud. As he walked he heard murmurs swirling about him, but not paying attention he made it to the head table. Turning back around he waited for silence before speaking.

'Harry Potter has for his whole life been labeled the wizarding savior, the boy who lived, the golden boy; and now he has proved himself worthy of this title not because everyone expected him to, but because he cared and no one else had stepped forward. Now this boy lies up in the hospital wing of the school he was trying to protect, and I have to ask all of you. How many of you are going to visit him and pay well wishes?'

Looking out over the sea of faces he then stepped down from the head table and walked out the doors of the Great Hall.

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Draco walked into the Hospital Ward and made his way over to the bed that contained his raven haired beauty. Coming closer he noticed that Severus was sleeping; his head lay on Harry's bed.

'Sorry to interrupt the family reunion, but I need to speak with Harry.'

Sitting down in the chair opposite Severus, beside Harry, Draco reached out one hand and ran it over the boys cheek gently, 'I miss you Harry. Your laughing, your camaraderie. Nothing is the same without you. But worst of all, I miss you in my bed. I hate how worried I am over whether I will ever get to tell you that I love you.'

Draco sighed sadly and then began to sing in a soft voice,

'If I knew that this would all  
Come down to a sad goodbye  
I would see it through  
Till the tears burned my eyes  
Cause the loving that you give to me  
So true and profound  
Is the sweetest gift I have ever found

If I had to fight fire  
You know I'd find a way  
For a love that is sacred  
I would fight until my last day

I couldn't find another man  
Who loves me like you do  
I couldn't hold another hand  
That holds me quite like you  
Such a love is heaven-blessed  
Couldn't find another man

Only you can set my heart on fire  
Or fill my life with pain  
And no matter if I laugh or cry  
I love you just the same  
Cause the moment that I hold you close  
I see in your eyes  
With a silent stare, you turn your eyes

If I lost every pleasure  
Of silver and gold  
I would still find my treasure  
With you there to hold

I couldn't find another man  
Who loves me like you do  
I couldn't hold another hand  
That holds me quite like you  
Such a love is heaven-blessed  
Couldn't find another man

If I lost every pleasure  
Of silver and gold  
I would still find my treasure  
With you there to hold

I couldn't find another man  
Who loves me like you do  
I couldn't hold another hand  
That holds me quite like you  
Such a love is heaven-blessed  
Couldn't find another man.'

Smiling sadly Draco looked into the emerald eyes of his lover and took the boy's hand, 'I, Draco Malfoy, promise to always be there for you. I promise to be more understanding about your motives, and your problems. And I promise, most of all, to continue loving you.'

xxxxXXXXXXXxxxx

Harry felt himself falling, falling through the memories. Not his, or were they? Whose memories were they? Why was he seeing all of this? Was he dead? Why wasn't anyone trying to find him in this ever falling darkness?

But these memories, they aren't bad memories; most of them were ones that he was glad to now know. Every single one of them was important. And he was glad that for whatever reason, he had them. He was glad that he could now know the truth; no one could try to lie and make him feel insecure about his family.

Now he just had to try and make his way back to the living world. Back to his friends, his father, and his lover.

---------------------------------------------  
**Ok,this is absolutely the final rendition of this chapter. It will not be changed again. And so I will now start on the final chapter. I'm not sure as of yet how long it will be, but please be patient as I try to wrap it up as painlessly as possible.**


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